Are Chinese international students the new brand champions?
Luxury brands are targeting rich Chinese students who are studying abroad – these students are usually dressed head to toe in luxury goods
This article was written by Ruonan Zheng and originally published in Jing Daily
With first-hand access to the latest trends from a wide variety of luxury brands, Chinese students abroad have become unofficial opinion leaders for their friends and peers back home.
According to a survey conducted by China Luxury Advisors, 31 per cent of Chinese students in New York and Boston escort friends and family on shopping trips at least once every three months. Thirty-four per cent bought luxury goods to take back to China at a similar frequency.
This unique demographic has caught the attention of many retailers and brands. Bloomingdales and Bergdorf Goodman have sponsored Lunar New Year celebrations for local Chinese students, while brands host special fashion shows and even invite executives to give them advice on developing careers in the fashion industry.
The microinfluencers with major appeal
Many Chinese youngsters studying abroad fit the description of second-generation rich teens, otherwise known as fu’er dai, born in the late ’80s or early ’90s to wealthy Chinese businesspeople. They’re easy to spot at universities, dressed head to toe in luxury goods, perhaps driving a Porsche around campus.
But times have changed, and many Chinese students have become more careful about what they buy, according to Charlie Gu, director at China Luxury Advisors. They often look for smaller, independent designer brands that can showcase their personality and individuality.
Scarlett Hao is an New York University student with a strong following among Chinese students in the United States. Hao says she first started sharing fashion content because she noticed there were no plus-size Asian fashion bloggers. She felt a responsibility to pass on the concept of body positivity to her fans.