Honest luxury: Are Chinese brands redefining the luxury playbook?
Is the center of gravity in luxury beginning to shift?
For decades, European luxury houses have largely defined what luxury looks like. Now, a new generation of Chinese brands is developing a different approach, shaped by cultural heritage, craftsmanship, and changing consumer expectations.
As consumers place greater value on authenticity, meaning, and connection, could these emerging brands reshape the global luxury playbook?
Join IMD experts and industry leaders to explore the findings of a new white paper, Honest luxury, and what the rise of Chinese luxury brands could mean for the future of the global industry.
Why this matters now
Chinese brands are not simply competing for a greater share of the luxury market. They are challenging assumptions about what luxury means, what consumers value, and where the next generation of influential luxury brands could come from.
Together, the speakers will consider a bigger question: could the rise of Chinese brands change how luxury is defined globally, and what would that mean for the established houses that have shaped the industry for decades?
Professor of Strategy and Organizational Innovation
Stéphane J.G. Girod is an expert in transformation. He leads IMD’s Luxury 2050 Initiative, which helps luxury brands prepare for the future through pedagogical innovation, thought leadership, and peer-to-peer learning.
Discover a new model for luxury
Drawing on primary and secondary data on 34 emerging Chinese brands across six sectors, the research identifies what its authors call “honest luxury”: an alternative approach that places greater emphasis on meaning, functionality, community, cultural relevance, and societal contribution.
IMD Professor of Strategy Stéphane JG Girod and IMD researcher Yunfei Feng will share key findings from the research, exploring what is driving the growth of these brands, how their value propositions differ from established luxury models, and the challenges they face as they expand beyond China.
Hear from industry leaders
Girod and Feng will be joined by Louise Xu, Executive President of ICCF Group (ICICLE), who will share an industry perspective on ICICLE’s approach to luxury, its position in China and international markets, and its ambitions for the future.
Pablo Mauron, General Manager of DLG China and author of Chapter 3 of the white paper, will draw on new data to explore how emerging Chinese brands approach marketing and connect with customers globally.
About the I by IMD webinar series:
In our webinar series, we feature insights from IMD’s leading faculty and partners on critical contemporary challenges impacting today’s global business leaders.
We look forward to your participation.
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