The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
"ZTO Express Eyes Largest Chinese Company US IPO Since Alibaba" (Reuters)
"ZTO's IPO later this month, which could raise as much as $1.5 billion, is the latest example of a Chinese company seeking to capitalise on its growth prospects to lure Western investors, while also avoiding the red tape associated with launching IPOs in mainland China."
"Alibaba's New Payment System Lets Virtual Reality Shoppers Pay by Nodding" (Reuters)
"VR Pay, the new payment system, is part of Alibaba's efforts to capitalise on the latest technology in online shopping. In 2015, for example, it introduced a facial recognition technology for Alipay mobile payments service advertised as 'pay with a selfie'."
"Chinese Shoppers to Make Asia Surpass Europe for Duty-Free Market Share by 2020" (Jing Daily)
"As more Chinese consumers embark on international trips, their effect on the global duty-free retail market is becoming more apparent."
"Louis Vuitton's Store Revamps Show We Believe In Hong Kong and China, CEO Says" (South China Morning Post)
Michael Burke explains why a slide in Hong Kong's luxury retail sales will not affect the French brand's long-term strategy of continued investment in China."
"Apple to Open Second Chinese Research Lab" (Financial Times)
"Apple is to open a research lab in the southern Chinese city of Shenzhen, its chief executive Tim Cook said, as it seeks to boost sales and improve its relationship with domestic authorities."
With consumers tightening their belts in China, the battle between global fast fashion brands and local high street giants has intensified.
Investors are bracing for a steep slowdown in luxury sales when luxury companies report their first quarter results, reflecting lacklustre Chinese demand.
The French beauty giant’s two latest deals are part of a wider M&A push by global players to capture a larger slice of the China market, targeting buzzy high-end brands that offer products with distinctive Chinese elements.
Post-Covid spend by US tourists in Europe has surged past 2019 levels. Chinese travellers, by contrast, have largely favoured domestic and regional destinations like Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.