Changing Luxury Consumption Preferences Among Chinese Young Adults: The Role of Unconventional Brand Collaborations

This investigation explores the shifting meanings of luxury consumption among young adult Chinese consumers in response to industry reports claiming that a generation born in China after the 1990s is reshaping the global luxury market. An in-depth qualitative study informs this paper. In-depth interviews with young adult luxury consumers self-identifying as Chinese suggest that a growing preference for brand collaborations between luxury brands and unexpected partners is due to the following preferences in luxury: 1. ephemeral, 2. trendy, and 3. playful. First, fleeting collaborations, social media fame, and experiences replace the durability of fine craft and materials. Second, trendiness in online culture replaces the inaccessible tastes of the upper class. Third, fun, rebellious, and over-the-top aesthetics replace markings of tradition and quiet refinement. The study contributes to international luxury by conceptualizing the shifting meanings of luxury consumption in China.