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Chanel to Roll Out VIP Salons in Key Chinese Cities

Denni Hu
·2 min read

SHANGHAI — Chanel is set to launch two VIP salons, or Chanel Les Salons Privés, in Guangzhou and Shenzhen, two key luxury retail markets in southern China.

The invite-only, 3,200-square-foot Guangzhou salon, located on the second floor of Taikoo Hui Guangzhou, features a discreetly designed black-and-white entrance and contains four private fitting rooms and a public lounge area, according to store details revealed by industry insiders on Xiaohongshu.

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An image of Chanel's Taikoo Guangzhou salon shared by a Chinese netizen on Xiaohongshu.
An image of Chanel’s Taikoo Guangzhou salon shared by a Chinese netizen on Xiaohongshu.

According to local media reports, the Shenzhen MixC salon, connected to the French luxury house’s first retail outpost in the city, will span more than 4,300 square feet and takes over a spot previously occupied by Brooks Brothers. According to local media reports, the renovation of the “little black room” might have cost the brand an estimated 43 million renminbi, or $6 million.

A revamped Chengdu IFS store and an in-store VIP salon are also set to open in October, according to images of the storefront hoarding shared on Xiaohongshu.

The trio of exclusive boutiques adds to Chanel’s roster of exclusive retail outposts in the region. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Chanel quietly launched the SKP Beijing and Plaza 66 salons.

An image of Chanel's Plaza 66 salon shared by a Chinese netizen on Xiaohongshu.
An image of Chanel’s Plaza 66 salon shared by a Chinese netizen on Xiaohongshu.

Chanel’s effort to woo big spenders, or “nurtured local clienteles,” as Philippe Blondiaux, Chanel’s group chief financial officer, puts it, helped the brand boost 2022 revenues in the Asia Pacific region by 14.3 percent to $8.65 billion, with double-digit gains in the mainland China market.

Chanel is not the only brand adopting a VIP-first retail strategy in China. Luxury power brands such as Dior and Louis Vuitton have been revamping their existing flagships to include expansive VIP areas where high spenders can browse exclusive offerings while sipping Champagne.

According to Bain & Co., the Chinese luxury market will be driven by the top 2 percent of luxury spenders, as the expanding middle class begins to rationalize spending due to challenging economic outlooks.

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