What Will Luxury Brands Do To Impress Consumers When The Logo Disappears

More and more wealthy Chinese try to pass luxury goods Consumption to show their social status, they have been looking for the next good thing worth buying. But these inexperienced luxury buyers face many questions: Is the most expensive brand the best? Is the obvious logo a sign of kitsch? Low profile and implicit is good taste, while "Bling Bling" is bad taste? Recently, a view has aroused controversy in the luxury industry: the tastes of Chinese mainland consumers are changing rapidly. In this affluent, fashion hungry and growth oriented market segment, knowledgeable consumers are avoiding those brands that are bluffing and ubiquitous. Their interest in "Bling Bling" is also decreasing; Consumers' tastes are increasingly mature, and they try to find better things in life - art, wine, foreign travel and low-key elegance.

　　 Conservatives: Chinese people will become vulgar

Paul French, chief investigator of Mintel China, a market research company, said: "Some people mistakenly think that Chinese consumers are very mature. Can you report their names and addresses? Unwise buying behavior still prevails. Even if they begin to learn wine tasting, they are still in the process of blindly imitating western tastes and showing off money." P.T. Black, senior creative director of a Shanghai online talk show "Thorough China", believes that for a long time, Chinese luxury consumers have been accustomed to looking for a "Bling Bling" element from the western perspective. The reason is the confusion of social relations and power structure. "'Bling Bling' is an aesthetic criticism intended to occupy the commanding heights," Black said, "In the cultural context of China, this criticism is imposed on China by developed countries, and imposed by some Chinese people on another part of the Chinese people - there are multiple misunderstandings hidden in it. The cultural hierarchy of this country is still rigid, and the aesthetic consciousness of every group is driven by the core power."

Each member of different social circles is defining himself, his position in the circle, and his relationship with outsiders. Luxury purchase and dress style is an important information communication path. Black said: "In the aesthetic view of the Chinese, 'Bling Bling' style jewelry is an important tradition. The underlying problem is: what is the relationship between wealth and power? What are aesthetic phenomena and the underlying forces supporting it? In my opinion, the Chinese will become vulgar for a long time."

　 Reformists: Chinese people are eager for Bourgeois' aesthetic view

In the eyes of Matthew, a modern art sales consultant in Beijing, the situation is completely different. He admitted that many people have not yet established mature taste and vision like western art customers, but this is not the point. "At present, China's economic income is heavily stratified. The rich are all new rich, and it is less than half a century since China opened up to the outside world. In the past 200 years, culture has once become insignificant. Chinese people are hungry for culture, so at the beginning, they are hungry."

However, with the accumulation of wealth and the change of social status, Chinese taste has changed, and they can't wait to make up for the lack of the past. "Most Chinese people love art," Matthew said. In the past 50 years, their yearning for beauty has been suppressed for too long, "Although it is open on a large scale, they have not experienced any art education. When they stumble into the gallery, I have to say to them: 'This is Picasso, which is very important.' It is like an electric shock, but they need it." Black also thinks that the elements of Bling Bling are becoming more "soft". Chinese consumption view is reflected in a more cautious way: high-quality clothing , a treasured brandy, a Picasso. They lack, but yearn for, a Bourgeois aesthetic.

　　 "Slow" Strategy of Big Brands

Under this change, Luxury brand Start learning to show different consumers what is right for them. It is a very dangerous thing for a brand to try to please all consumers through rapid expansion, which will lose its uniqueness. Some brands stopped their aggressive market strategy and chose a low-speed, steady and more controllable expansion mode.

"Of course, this is a dilemma," said a senior manager in Hermes China. "If a brand is too popular, customers' psychological desire for it will be reduced. This is the dilemma some brands have encountered." Hermes today will not open two stores in the same city in the same year. Instead, it will improve service quality and comprehensively integrate the retail chain, Educate customers about brand history and handicrafts. "We don't want Hermes' products to become popular," said the executive. "We won't be everywhere like 7-11. We hope to develop business in the Chinese market step by step."

　　 The victory of the minority

While Louis Vuitton, Hermes, Chanel and other luxury brands are regarded as palace brands by Chinese luxury lovers, some small players have also achieved success in the Chinese mainland market. Tod's shoes One example is Roger Vivier, an accessory brand (this company has only 10 stores worldwide). In 2010, it opened at Hang Lung Plaza, one of the most famous shopping centers in Shanghai. During the initial period, Ms. Liu, the manager of Roger Vivier Shanghai, even "pried" the list of Tod's VIP customers. However, with good product quality, Vivier soon achieved word of mouth. "Some customers attach great importance to the history of the brand, and they are more cautious in their purchase. But most of the market is still going for jewels," said Miss Liu, "In China, celebrities and wealthy people have similar dress styles, and they will imitate each other. Roger Vivier's products are still in an obvious mixed state, and some of the elements of Bling Bling remain, such as the large Roger Vivier buckle on the handbag. But in the long run, private shopping experience and limited product release are more important."