Chinese shoppers increasingly buy pre-owned luxury items and, in some cases, new homegrown fashion brands as the country’s economy remains sluggish after the pandemic. Outlets report that this shift changes where luxury spending goes, moving demand away from full-price Western labels.
The articles describe a downturn in sales for global fashion brands as consumers seek “better deals” and spend less. They also note that Chinese buyers previously represented a large share of worldwide luxury consumption, so changes in Chinese demand have outsized effects for international firms.
While the outlets differ in emphasis—some focusing on the rise of secondhand shopping, others on the pressure this creates for Western brands—each frames the trend as driven by consumers’ tighter budgets and a broader economic recovery that remains incomplete. The result is stronger momentum for the resale market and greater competitiveness for emerging local brands, alongside weaker performance for established Western retailers.
