Sales Strategy
How Chinese Jewelry Brands Are Winning Consumers With Spiritual, Traditional, and Playful Styles November 24, 2025 (0 comments)
New York, NY--The Chinese jewelry market is undergoing a radical transformation, driven by a desire for emotional connection and "storytelling" over traditional luxury status.
[Image via iStock.com/iStock]
Vogue reports that while international giants face headwinds, agile domestic labels are winning consumers by tapping into two distinct trends: spiritual "nomadic" designs and hyper-playful "kidult" aesthetics.
Market Shifts Shaping China's Jewelry Industry
The article introduces designers Yezi Zhou and Ke Li, who built Olio e Aceto around classic silver and pearl pieces. They launched Sale e Pepe after seeing Chinese shoppers move toward jewelry tied to emotion and symbolism. Sale e Pepe's lighter, spiritual designs with engravings, red stones, and charms already have about 30 stockists for SS26.
The article reports strong overall growth. China's luxury jewelry market expanded 46% from 2020 to 2025, reaching $7 billion. Showrooms in Shanghai are adding more jewelry labels each season. Domestic leaders such as Chow Tai Fook, Lao Feng Xiang, Chow Tai Seng and Luk Fook, all posting high revenues.
Laopu, founded in 2016, blends 24-karat gold and diamonds with traditional motifs and is projected to hit $2.8 billion in sales in 2025, according to the article. Cartier's estimate for the same period is $1.5 billion.
Demand for Spiritual and Nomadic Styles
The article highlights a clear turn toward spiritual, traditional and nature-influenced jewelry. En Sage, a Japanese label with 150 stockists in China, sells beaded and silver pieces shaped like leaves, horses and shark teeth. The founder describes steady demand for “nomadic” styles tied to nature and philosophy. Hui Hui, another brand working within this trend, reached 80 stockists in two years.
The article points to rising silver prices—up 38% in the past year—as a factor pushing brands toward leather cords, beads, resin and lower-cost metals. Designers such as Niang Niang of Empress 47 are shifting from heavier silver pieces to simpler silhouettes and symbolic engravings to meet demand and manage costs.
Growth of Playful, Youthful Designs
Vogue also notes increased interest in lighthearted, childlike aesthetics. Yvmin has 40 domestic stockists and 30 international ones, with designs ranging from toilet-roll bracelets to pastel cap necklaces. These pieces appear in runway shows and appeal to younger shoppers.
Ty's Grocery, with 15 to 20 stockists, produces resin gobstopper rings, colorful heart necklaces and fruit-shaped accessories. The founder manufactures in Guangzhou and often uses resin to avoid rising metal costs. Toggler, founded in 2017 and now at about 40 stockists, focuses on mini-garment brooches, bows and playful charms, shifting to copper to maintain affordability.
The article highlights a challenge: once a style becomes popular in China, many labels adopt it quickly. Designers like Toggler's Zhou Xing say they try to maintain their own direction despite rapid market imitation.
Read the entire Vogue article here.