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.
The Chinese beauty influencers came first and second in a new Launchmetrics report, according to their media impact value — a visibility metric that takes into account reach, media rates, media quality, and content quality — produced so far this year. The report highlights the dominance and profitability of influencers over China’s $38.6 billion beauty industry.
Li Jiaqi, also known as Austin Li, the Lipstick King, topped the chart with a media impact value of $2.6 million following collaborations with the likes of Dior Beauty and Estée Lauder on digital platforms Xiaohongshu, WeChat and Douyin, where he has a whopping 35 million followers.
Doudou Babe, a beauty KOL who counts Chanel Beauty and Charlotte Tilbury among her clients, came second. Fashion, beauty and lifestyle blogger Ximen ranked third, followed by Late Night Teacher Xu, Cherie, top livestream host Viya, MK Liangliang, male beauty influencers Ryan Xiaoxing Mao and Miao Ye-Wu Miao, and Brother Berry.
Mainland shoppers have flocked to local tourism hubs like Macau and Hainan over Chinese New Year and are expected to visit Asian destinations like Thailand and Singapore before returning in droves to European fashion capitals later this year.
Beijing’s Covid-19 policy shift will give the sector a boost in 2023 but a surge in infections and sluggish economic growth could dampen the recovery after an uplift from Chinese New Year.
This week, China rolled back some strict zero-Covid measures, opening a road to recovery for luxury and retail. But the journey is likely to be long and bumpy, experts warn.
Despite disappointing Singles Day sales results, harsh Zero Covid restrictions and supply chain woes, international beauty conglomerates continue to see China as a growth engine.