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.
Alibaba Group Holding Ltd has been told to dispose of its media assets, which include stakes in South China Morning Post and Chinese social media platform Weibo, the Wall Street Journal reported.
In recent months, Alibaba affiliate Ant Group has come under regulatory pressure after its blockbuster $37 billion IPO was halted and the firm was forced to restructure. The Wall Street Journal’s sources said that Beijing sees Alibaba’s dominance and widespread influence as a challenge to the government’s control over the media. In addition to its businesses spanning health, logistics, fintech and more, Alibaba owns tech and retail platforms Tmall, Taobao and Lazada.
Despite the emergence of younger digital platforms like Douyin and Xiaohongshu, Weibo remains a vital channel for fashion and beauty brands to engage with — and sell to — Chinese netizens. Like many of its rivals, the platform has introduced e-commerce capabilities and plays a role in driving traffic and sales to Alibaba marketplaces like Taobao.
To unleash the full potential of ‘China’s Silicon Valley’ luxury brands must invest more in the vibrant city at its core and better understand the local mindset.
Western brands shifting supply chains away from China hope to reduce disruptions caused by geopolitical tensions but ‘friendlier’ sourcing hubs aren’t always feasible.
Both brands saw sales decline during the Uighur forced labour controversy but Adidas is more vulnerable to competition from local sportswear giants Li Ning and Anta.
This week, US lawmakers ratcheted up pressure on some of the industry’s biggest names as the relationship with Beijing and Washington continues to deteriorate.