Chantecaille has announced a new domestic partnership with China’s leading e-tailer, Alibaba Group’s Tmall, as it continues the Chinese expansion plans it announced in March.
The Beiersdorf-owned luxury brand, which started life as a niche French fragrance house, now creates clinically tested, botanical-based cosmetics sold across the globe.
In July, it announced its first spokesperson in China, actor Chen Feiyu, in a video released on the brand’s official Sina Weibo account.
The launch onto Tmall is a significant move in terms of its expansion into this market.
With a dedicated domestic flagship store on Tmall, Chinese customers will now have access to a wide range of Chantecaille products, detailed product information, exclusive offers, and tailored recommendations.
The brand also plans to host pop-up experience in Shanghai's Xintiandi, the 'Maison Chantecaille', to entice new customers by immersing them in its 'Beauty with Impact' ethos.
Chantecaille’s global sales are increasing
Chantecaille was a pioneer in terms of its commitment to sustainable practices, innovative formulas, and the use of naturally derived ingredients that have proven results, which are backed by third-party testing.
It was founded by Sylvie Chantecaille in 1998 and acquired by Beiersdorf in February 2022, where it has boosted its global reach through several market expansions.
The brand is currently performing well for its parent company. In Beiersdorf’s half year 2024 sales results presentation earlier this week, it was noted that Chantecaille’s sales had increased by 4.8% between Q1 2024 and Q2 2024, having already been up by 4% for the first quarter.
In the presentation, CEO Warnery said that the brand was now focusing on expansion to mainland China after already being present cross-border.
“The focus here lies first on the digital presence, which is powered via a comprehensive partnership with Tmall, China's leading e-commerce platform,” he said.
"Tmall offers a seamless shopping experience and unparalleled reach for Chantecaille's innovative beauty. The new market opening strengthens Chantecaille's position in China, bolstering our commitment to the Chinese consumer," he continued.
He explained that this partnership with Tmall will enable Chantecaille to leverage the platform's reach e-commerce capabilities, ensuring that Chinese consumers can easily access the brand's luxurious product offerings.
CEO: Chinese consumers have “appetite for luxuriously clean beauty”
However, La Prairie, another luxury brand that is also owned by the German multinational has been rapidly losing footing in the high-end Chinese beauty market over the past year.
In fact, many once-prominent luxury beauty brands have lost sales in China ever since the Covid pandemic, as fewer middle-class shoppers spend on luxury goods.
Even huge beauty industry multinationals such as L'Oréal and luxury leaders such as LVMH have reported a similar pattern for some of its brands.
However, L'Oréal CEO Nicolas Hieronimus did also recently state that some products still perform well in this market if they are especially innovative and “somehow stand out in the market.”
Chantecaille’s CEO Emily Coleman is confident in the potential for the brand in the tough Chinese market.
Coleman said: "We believe there are consumers across China who have appetite for luxuriously clean beauty, which is what makes Chantecaille so unique.”
She continued: "Under our 'Beauty with Impact' ethos, they will have greater access to our high-performance botanically powered skincare and makeup formulations, which remain cruelty-free and vegan-friendly. Tmall is the perfect partner to help us reach those new consumers, not only from a reach perspective, but because they are also dedicated to quality and customer satisfaction."
Coleman said that Chantecaille is not only committed to delivering efficacious beauty products but also to supporting conservation of wild species and spaces, which gives it a USP in comparison to other high-end beauty brands.