Arc’teryx New Flagship in Shanghai, ChaPanda to roadshow in HK | Weekly

Arc’teryx to open another flagship in Shanghai

Canadian outwear brand Arc’teryx set to establish another flagship in central Shanghai. The brand, owned by China’s garment giant Anta, has signed a lease with Hong Kong’s Wheelock Properties. A move further proves the brand’s growing popularity in the Chinese market.

The three-store located in Shanghai’s Jing’an Temple were rented by Italian top concept shop 10 Corso Como before 2018. Arc’teryx will reportedly build a “museum-concept” flagship in the region, according to China’s lifestyle service platform Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book).

The brand has already started to hire managerial-level staff for the upcoming store on 51job, China’s leading hiring site.

In 2019, Arc’teryx’s parent company Amer Sports was acquired by Anta for 4.6 billion euros. Since then, Arc’teryx has pivoted to a “China First” strategy, and successfully upgraded its brand image to a fashion outdoor that attracts the country’s emerging HNW and middle-class groups.

Chanel showcased a repeated show in Shenzhen with numerous starlight driving heavy social buzz.

Chanel just presented the brand’s first show since the pandemic in China on Thursday. The replicated show for its Cruise 2024 collection took place in Shenzhen, China’s technology hub bordering Hong Kong.

The fashion brand’s show saw Zhou Xun, China’s awarded actress, supermodel Liu Wen with other stars including Xin Zhilei, Jing Boran and Liu Shishi, and KOLs such as Wang Yibo. Wang Yibo’s post on Weibo drove nearly 100k reposts, one of the biggest buzz on social media in recent months.

Comparing to other luxury houses, Chanel remained a relatively low-key marketing strategy in China in the past - the brand used to only tap high profile movie stars with less active on social media such as Zhou Xun.

ChaPanda is going to roadshow in Hong Kong next week

China’s tea chain Cha Panda plans to launch a roadshow in Hong Kong next week to test the water before going public, according to Chinese media outlet IPOnews.

IPOnews cited an exclusive source that Cha Panda seeks to list in the Hong Kong stock market by the end of this year. As China Retail Watch formerly analyzed, the bubble tea market is facing rising competition.

Cha Panda was founded in 2008, and has opened over 7,000 stores as of this year. The company managed to achieve $580 million in revenue last year and the founder, Wang Xiaokun, has become a billionaire with a net worth of $1.1 billion.

Aesop to expand in China after Shanghai and Shenzhen

Since L’Oreal acquired Aesop, the luxury skincare brand has been expanding in China rapidly. With several locations in Shanghai and a new opening in Shenzhen last month, Aesop is going to find a new destination - Chengdu, the home of giant pandas and a new hotspot for luxury.

The new Aesop store will be located in Taikoo Li, where Louis Vuitton, Dior and other prestigious luxury names operated flagship stores.

The company sees a huge opportunity for China’s high-end cosmetic sector. L'Oreal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus said before that Aesop has “massive growth potential”, notably in China. Meanwhile, Chinese beauty brands are also eyeing the premium market.

However, L'Oreal’s major competitor Estee Lauder said that they were suffering from a weak market for its prestigious business in China.