From museums to e-commerce: luxury fashion’s multi-pronged approach to China

This week in China, three luxury partnerships showcase today’s intersection of luxury and fashion, art and e-commerce.

Chanel has partnered with Power Station of Art (PSA), a municipal museum of contemporary art in Huangpu, Shanghai, to enhance its works of art. The long-term partnership will create a “Gabrielle Chanel Space” and support sustainable renovation and research, combining Chanel’s legacy of artistic sponsorship with PSA’s mission of innovation and cross-cultural collaboration.

Meanwhile, Albert Oehlen’s works are the latest works of art to be exhibited at Espace Louis Vuitton in Beijing. Finally, LVMH and Alibaba renewed their e-commerce partnership, demonstrating the power of pairing in China’s online ecosystem.

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Details: Long-term partnership, May 27

Social context: On Xiaohongshu, the hashtag Shanghai Museum of Contemporary Art (#上海当代美术馆) has 11 million views, and #Chanel has 3.66 billion.

Verdict:

• Power Station of Art (PSA) is the first state-owned contemporary art museum in mainland China. It emphasizes continuous self-renewal and development. As a young urban artistic space, its goal is to provide an open platform for contemporary culture, eliminate barriers between art and life and promote intercultural cooperation.
• PSA’s long-term partnership with Chanel aims to develop China’s cultural institutions and establish a global cultural brand in Shanghai. Chanel’s renowned luxury and creativity will support PSA in promoting innovation and cultural development, reflecting Gabrielle Chanel’s legacy of art sponsorship.
• The collaboration includes the modernization of PSA’s third floor into the “Gabrielle Chanel Space.” It will include a variety of cultural and educational facilities, the restoration of the PSA chimney as an independent art space, and the enrichment of PSA’s collections and research capabilities. The partnership will strengthen PSA’s global influence and commitment to Shanghai’s urban culture.

Details: The exhibition is open from May 27 to October 8

Social context: The hashtag “Louis Vuitton Beijing espace culture and art space” (#路易威登北京 espace 文化艺术空间) has 4.48 million reads on Weibo and 19,300 on Xiaohongshu.

Verdict:

• The Louis Vuitton Foundation’s Beyond the Walls project, including Espace Louis Vuitton in Beijing, aims to engage a broad international audience in the Foundation’s mission. The Painting exhibition will feature six previously unseen works from his collection.
• The exhibition, open from May 24 to October 27, 2024, presents six paintings by Albert Oehlen. Influenced by Berlin punk culture and the Neue Wilde movement, Oehlen challenges traditional artistic hierarchies and conventions through his neo-expressionist style.
• Oehlen’s work is characterized by a mixture of abstraction and figuration, using techniques such as collage and a variety of materials to question and reinvent the medium of painting. His practice draws inspiration from artists such as Gerhard Richter and Georg Baselitz, and his goal is to transform art history while defying established norms.

Details: E-commerce partnership

Social context: #LVMH has 120 million reads on Weibo and Alibaba has 963,000.

Verdict:

• LVMH Group and Alibaba Group have extended their cooperation for another five years. Includes Alibaba cloud technologies and AI-powered retail innovations. The collaboration will increase LVMH’s access to a broader range of Alibaba Cloud technology capabilities.
• With over 30 homes and branches across mainland China and Southeast Asia, LVMH is committed to pioneering retail innovation and technology-enabled luxury experiences. The partnership aims to expand LVMH’s omnichannel, data and technology presence in China through Alibaba’s cloud solutions.
• LVMH deploys Alibaba Cloud’s generative artificial intelligence, including Qwen and Model Studio, to enhance its technology infrastructure. Stephane Bianchi, managing director of the LVMH Group, said the partnership will accelerate development and provide unique shopping experiences at the highest level.