HAUTE IN CHINA 2022

#SnowSports + #MountainLife reflect the overall rise of pan-outdoor lifestyles on RED (or Xiaohongshu), China’s social media / commerce platform. Here’s the scoop on what’s trending overseas …

⛷️ WINTER IS COMING / 冰雪正当潮

Thanks to the #Olympics, ski tutorials doubled on RED, as winter sports are expanding beyond the niche elite to a younger audience. And high-end brands are riding on the trend, spreading across China, with the opening of the first VOLCOM store, Sweden’s #Klätermusen, and Switzerland’s Mammut. The #HillhouseCapital collab with Burton Snowboards Burton will make way for Bornger’s high-end fire & ice brands in the Chinese market. Louis Vuitton, Prada Group, #Dior, Burberry, Fendi, and #MiuMiu are also launching #GenZ-approved ski attire.

⛰️ MOUNTAIN LIFESTYLE / 山系生活

All in the same, the mountains are king for weekends and wardrobes, representing a cultural lifestyle shift. Backed by social media, camping, paddle boarding, and frisbee are bringing brands to new places, creating a whole new outdoor pedigree: less niche and more new riche.

Arc’teryx, Salomon, Hoka One One, Burton and mainstream brands, such as The North Face, a VF Company, and Columbia Sportswear Company, are gaining popularity. As the definition of outdoor style has changed, urban consumers aren’t seeking extreme weather performance, but rather, sophisticated athleisure gear—and luxury brands are coming to play. #Prada’s “Garden of Interest” outdoor pop-up sparked a wave of social media attention, for example.

👾 IMMERSIVE EXPERIENCES / 沉浸式体验

#ImmersiveRetailExperiences are booming on & offline, with 7x the engagement of prior years. #Skincare, #home, and #cleaning bring bloggers together to experience brands like never before in the #Metaverse.

♻️ CONVENIENCE IS KEY / 清醒型买买买

#SustainableFashion is seeing greater opportunities in the #ChineseMarket for 2022. However, it is worth noting that Chinese consumers are still wary of paying too high a premium for sustainable products, opting for convenient sustainable options.

🕶️ STYLE SHIFT / 新中式穿搭

#Genderless / gender-neutral style is booming. Chinese luxury brand Duanmu Liangjin’s strategic financing has pushed Gen Z consumers toward self-confident, design-oriented styles. MS MIN, SAMUEL GUÌ YANG, YUEQI, QI, and company combine Chinese style concepts and leave room for creative interpretation.

Photos: © RED²