3 Perfume Brands To Know From Notes Shanghai
This season, Shanghai Fashion Week (SHFW) welcomed a new addition to its lineup of showrooms—a perfume trade show called Notes Shanghai. In her welcome speech, the secretary-general of SHFW, Madame Lv, declared it 'a new chapter in innovation.'
The inventive move—a world first from a fashion week—attests to the growing interest in fragrance in China, especially among younger consumers. With a low penetration rate of around 5%—according to reports—China has been touted as the holy grail of the fragrances industry for a number of years. Mintel predicts market sales will reach 15.439 billion RMB by this year. Now, Notes Shanghai with its 200 brands hailing from 19 countries and regions, is poised to take a slice of the action.
Under the direction of founder Alex Wu, who calls it the 'very first professional event dedicated to fragrance in China,' the initiative aims to link up all aspects of the fragrance value chain. Wu says a distinct 'Chinese scent' aesthetic is emerging—rooted in local culture, raw materials, and storytelling—which creates emotionally resonant and culturally rich fragrances.'It's about connecting people and helping them to understand these changes,' Wu says. 'I want to bring people, brands, and retailers together.'
Prada took part in the trade show during Shanghai Fashion Week
Notes Shanghai is an immersive expo that runs twice yearly, attracting a broad selection of brands, industry professionals, and consumers making up a footfall of around 15,000 visitors per season. Across 3 days, it attracted a lively brand mix of global companies from March 27 - 30. Juliette Has A Gun and Issey Miyake interspersed with domestic labels like Boitown, Melt Season, and Voice From The Sky. In the busy space on the West Bund, Prada, Diptyque, Le Labo, and Tom Ford were showcased as part of 'Notes Collection.' Boutique stores included Hong Kong's Scented Niche, Olfacto Project, and new entry Popscent—fronted by local brand Reclassified.
18,000 viewers tuned into livestreams broadcasting round-tables and keynotes from industry professionals like Mane's Vice President Perfumer, Veronique Nyberg, and the Tmall fragrance expert Xue Nie. Global influencers such as Jeremy Fragrance rubbed shoulders with local KOLs and bloggers like Scarlett Pan and Gail Ruhan.
The final day offered companies B2C retail and market research opportunities. Ankita Gill, the founder of Param Sara—a brand from India, born in China—is taking part for the second time. 'It's a great platform to have a one-on-one conversation with consumers. It enables you to connect and get immediate feedback. If you are already selling here, you'll see how you can elevate that experience,' she advised.
Notes Shanghai aims to help brands penetrate the Asian market. However, with Shanghai acting as the gateway, Wu hopes his brainchild will become a key platform for the Chinese and broader Asian fragrance industries to expand onto the global stage.
As competition heats up in the sector, here are three brands to know from Notes Shanghai.
China's only perfume trade show has a footfall of around 15,000 visitors per season.
When Reclassified (RE调香室) was founded in Shanghai in 2013 by Mac Lin, the only competition it faced was from Jo Malone. As one of the original domestic fragrance brands, Lin was quick to spot an opportunity. Reclassified quickly opened its first physical store in 2014 and focused on developing and securing strong supply chains. Now, it has over 100 doors across China offering fragrances that appeal to China's 25 to 30-year-olds living in Tier 1 and 2 cities.
The brand's more affordable line When And Where—the focal point of its booth at Notes — was founded in 2019. Investment from CITIC Capital followed 2 years later. In March 2024, Reclassified partnered with the French master perfumer Dominique Ropion to launch the 'Masters of Light' series. Now, it's moving into distribution with the debut of the platform Pop Scent—retailing European brands only—at the tradeshow. 'In China, the distribution is not as mature asin other countries. Given our years of experience in offline retail and strong relationships we have decided this is a key focus for us,' Lin explained.
Founded in 2022 by Bobber Wang, Zhufu now has 7 scents, scented candles, and body oils.
Bobbar Wang founded Zhufu in 2022 following work as a designer with several international names. Hardly surprisingly, the brand has already been recognized by the German Design Awards (2025). A visual identity based around bamboo—meaning prosperity—is an homage to his grandmother who was a bamboo knitter. This is cleverly reflected in the branding and the bottle design (which echoes the knots of the wood). Perhaps serendipitously, the top-selling scent Nana, infused with the sweet snack persimmon, is based on the woman herself.
Zhufu now has 7 scents including a limited edition collaboration with a master from Shanghai's traditional Buddhist temple, Donglin Temple in the Jinshan District. Another, the Poet, is inspired by the famous Chinese writer Li Bai and contains 'a little bit of the Chinese baijiu.' It's the brand's third outing at the exhibition and currently, it retails offline in Paris and Canada as well as through China's e-commerce channels. 'We want to introduce our Chinese culture to the world. The international perfume market should have room for one Chinese brand,' Wang stated.
Param Sara's Indian founder Ankita Gill studied at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery.
Param Sara is another brand on a mission: this time, to put Indian perfumes on the map. The founder Ankita Gill studied at the Grasse Institute of Perfumery and started Param Sara in Shanghai—her adopted home of the last ten years. 'I think Indian fashion brands have definitely broken the barriers and people globally have started to understand the craft behind the workmanship. Now it's time for a fragrance from India,' says Gill.
Why China? Gill says it's a laboratory for innovation and experimentation. China is always open to new things. People are so curious and listen to you but allow you to stay through to your roots.' Param Sara uses upcycled ingredients, transforming what was once considered a by-product into evocative, sustainable scents. Its most popular scent, The Mandala, has top notes of green mango and bergamot. 'No one thinks of a tropical fruit in an Asian fragrance. Here, it's mostly floral or woody.'
But Indian summers and mangos go hand in hand and Gill recounted enjoying them as a child in India. 'I am using ingredients that have been woven into my daily life and have had so much impact through rituals and traditions. This is what I'm trying to capture, the power of fragrance to transport us,' she added.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Axios
3 hours ago
- Axios
U.S. "halfway there" with China on rare earth minerals, trade rep says
The U.S. is making progress in talks with China on access to rare earth minerals and other trade issues, but an extension to their tariff truce isn't yet final, U.S. Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said Sunday. Why it matters: The China trade relationship is of paramount importance to U.S. business leaders and financial markets, particularly the access to rare earth magnets, a crucial component for hundreds of products. That access was the core piece of the trade truce struck in Geneva in May, and the subsequent talks in London in June after the truce faltered. Both sides met again this past week in Stockholm to keep negotiating. What they're saying: " China has put a global control on the world, and so for the United States, we're focused on making sure that the flow of magnets from from China to the United States and the - and the adjacent supply chain can flow as freely as it did before the control, and I'd say we're about halfway there," Greer told"Face the Nation" host Margaret Brennan. The intrigue: The tariff-lowering truce between the world's two largest economies is due to expire on Aug. 12. After the Stockholm talks, the Chinese said it would be extended, but U.S. officials have said their counterparts got ahead of themselves. "That's something we're working toward. That's what we talked about," Greer said, adding that the final decision remained with President Trump.
CNBC
3 hours ago
- CNBC
Robotaxis are becoming a reality. Who's poised to win in China and beyond
After years of testing, robotaxis are starting to become a normal part of transportation in certain parts of the U.S. and China, where a handful of companies are competing to become market leaders. In the U.S., Alphabet's Waymo has pulled ahead of its rivals and says it has more than 1,500 robotaxis on the road conducting more than 250,000 paid weekly trips in cities including San Francisco, Los Angeles, Phoenix and Austin, Texas. Tesla has just gotten started in Austin . In China, there are proibably about 2,000 robotaxis, primarily operated by a few local companies across the country's larger cities, according to Barclays estimates published last week. The British bank forecasts at least 300,000 robotaxis will be deployed in China by 2030, accounting for at least 5% of on-demand transportation in larger cities. China's capital Beijing has allowed robotaxi operators to charge fares for rides in a suburb since late 2021 . Shanghai in late July became the latest region to allow fully autonomous taxis to charge fares in parts of the city . Pony AI unique U.S.-listed Chinese startup Pony AI is so far the only robotaxi operator in the country that can charge the public for fares in parts of all four of China's largest cities: Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. The company hasn't disclosed how many cars it has running, but claims each car receives an average of 15 orders a day. "We believe this milestone [in Shanghai] demonstrates Pony's technological and operational readiness in [the] robotaxi business," Bank Of America analysts said in a report last week. "Pony will scale up its Robotaxi fleet size and see improving profitability, given better economies of scale and unit profitability," the analysts said. Bank of America rates the stock a buy, and gives the American depositary receipts a price target of $21, or more than 60% upside from Friday's close. Improving safety Pony AI Chief Technology Officer Tiancheng Lou said in a late July interview that his focus now is on improving safety, speeding up the ability to hail a robotaxi and cutting costs. The company has started testing its latest-generation robotaxi vehicles in Beijing, claiming to have slashed the cost of the parts needed to build its autonomous driving kit by 70% . Pony AI is set to report its next quarterly results on Aug. 12. Pony's U.S.-listed rival WeRide last Thursday said that its robotaxi revenue in the second quarter rose to a a record $6.4 million . Morgan Stanley rates WeRide a buy, but expects shares to "remain event-driven and show more volatility" subject to robotaxi developments in China and overseas. The bank does not cover "We believe progress in global development of robotaxis will expedite the pace of China's development/rollout of L4 AD/robotaxis," the Morgan Stanley analysts said, adding they do not think legacy global automakers and legislators in major economies "will risk missing out on the transition to vehicle autonomy, particularly after losing ground to China on EVs." Waymo expansion While Waymo has only just begun expanding internationally, entering the Japanese market, Chinese robotaxi operators are already pushing into Europe and the Middle East. WeRide claims it's the only company with autonomous driving permits in Saudi Arabia, China, the UAE, Singapore, France and the U.S. Outside China, WeRide said it has already started pilot operations in Riyadh with Uber Technologies . In mid-July, Chinese internet tech company Baidu reached a deal to offer its Apollo Go self-driving vehicles on the Uber ride-hailing platform, aiming for the Middle East and Asia later this year. The U.S. and mainland China, where ride-hailing app Didi acquired Uber's business, are not part of the deal. Apollo Go's pricing on Uber will likely compare to that of human drivers on Uber, Bank of America analysts said in a separate report last month. "Therefore, we think value in [the] overseas market could be multiple times higher than China, hence its profitability overseas could have much larger room." Bank of America rated Baidu a buy, with a $100 price target. Baidu is set to report results on Aug. 20. Baidu breakeven Barclays estimates that Baidu is probably already breaking even on its robotaxis in the Chinese city of Wuhan, excluding research and investment costs. Most Chinese robotaxi operators are also close to breaking even, the analysts said. "Being able to design and build cheap robotaxi models is the single largest reason why we think Chinese players are likely to reach [unit economics] breakeven (excluding R & D and other headquarters costs) by the end of 2025," the Barclays analysts said. The bank estimates each Waymo car currently costs $200,000, Baidu's Apollo RT6 costs about $37,000, newest vehicle runs at about $42,000 and WeRide slightly more. —CNBC's Michael Bloom contributed to this report.
Business Upturn
11 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Why China is pursuing Taiwan: Geopolitical objectives, potential outcomes, and public theories explained
Over the past decade, China's rhetoric, military build-up, diplomatic pressure, and policy strategy surrounding Taiwan have intensified—leading many to question whether a full-scale capture of Taiwan is inevitable. This analysis explores China's motivations, what would change if control is established, and the dominant geopolitical narratives discussing this issue. 1. Historical and ideological roots Civil War legacy: Taiwan is governed by the Republic of China (ROC), which emerged victorious in a 1912–1949 civil war. China's Communist Party established the People's Republic of China (PRC) in 1949 and has never renounced the use of force to bring Taiwan under Beijing's jurisdiction. Article 8 of China's 2005 Anti‑Secession Law formalizes this. National reunification principle: The PRC's official policy—'one China' and Xi Jinping's 'peaceful reunification' under the 'one country, two systems' framework—frames Taiwan as a breakaway province rather than a separate international entity. Political legitimacy: Taiwanese unification is a powerful domestic symbol for the CCP, often used in propagating nationalism and consolidating Xi's political mandate internal to China. 2. Strategic and economic incentives a. Strategic position and power projection Military anchoring in the First Island Chain: Taiwan sits on the so-called 'first island chain,' providing strategic depth in the Western Pacific. Controlling it would significantly extend China's naval and air capabilities, reducing US forward-operating access. Maritime chokepoint control: The Taiwanese straits are adjacent to vital shipping lanes—roughly 60 per cent of Asian maritime trade flows through nearby corridors. Chinese dominance over Taiwan would strengthen its hold over the South China Sea's commercial arteries. b. Technological and economic gain Semiconductor supremacy: Taiwan is home to TSMC, the world's largest semiconductor foundry, responsible for over 50 per cent of global chip fabrication. Full integration could accelerate China's ambitions in semiconductor independence and technological parity. Supply chain control: Taiwan plays a central role in global supply chains—particularly in electronics and green technology manufacturing. Its absorption would give China a critical advantage in these sectors. 3. What would change if China controls Taiwan? a. Shifts in global security and balances of power Decline of US strategic influence in Asia: Losing Taiwan would seriously weaken Washington's ability to project force in the Western Pacific and could unravel alliances with Japan, Korea, and Australia. Expansion of China's 'kill‑chain' reach: Models show that with Taiwan under PRC control, air-and-missile denial coverage expands, forcing US bases like Guam or the Philippines to operate at reduced effectiveness. b. Global economic fallout Unprecedented disruption: Even a brief conflict or aggressive blockade over Taiwan could cost the world economy over $10 trillion—short-term shocks similar to, or bigger than, the Ukraine war or 2008 financial crisis. Impact on capital and technology: Taiwan is a key conduit for foreign-invested capital and advanced microelectronics. Its loss could throttle foreign inflows, affecting Beijing's broader innovation-driven growth strategy. c. Political and cultural consequences Erosion of democratic autonomy: Taiwan's integration would mean dissolving its democratic institutions, curtailing civil liberties, and subsuming it under the PRC's authoritarian model—something sharply resisted by approximately 90 per cent of Taiwanese people. Continued 'political warfare': China would likely escalate its cognitive warfare campaigns—disinformation, political infiltration, propaganda—aimed at conditioning Taiwanese public opinion to accept Beijing's supremacy. 4. Public and strategic theories on Beijing's motivations Theory / Framework Key Idea Source Great Power Assertion Annexing Taiwan reinforces China's self-declared status as a leading global power, challenging the U.S.-led world order. Reddit , Wikipedia , Barron's 'Cognitive Warfare' Mastery Over time, China could annex Taiwan without force by eroding public will through propaganda and election manipulation. TIME , Wikipedia 'Anaconda Strategy' Beijing applies gradual diplomatic, economic, and military pressure to strangle Taipei's autonomy before physically seizing control. Council on Foreign Relations , Small Wars Journal Premptive Window Strategy Some Western analysts argue China might strike before U.S. internal political changes reduce deterrence or alliances weaken. Reddit , , Domestic Consolidation Taiwan serves as a rallying symbol at home, diverting attention from domestic issues and strengthening leadership legitimacy. Reddit , Small Wars Journal 5. Challenges and limits to a Taiwan takeover Massive military cost and human toll: Models show an amphibious invasion would be extraordinarily difficult—due to Taiwan's terrain, US and allied intervention, and Taiwan's own reserve mobilization plan. Economic blowback: China would face isolation from global markets, capital outflows, and loss of critical technology access—particularly in high-end semiconductors and foreign investment. Domestic risk amid PLA reforms: Xi's ongoing military leadership reshuffle raises questions about the People's Liberation Army's readiness for such a complex operation. 6. What the international community is doing US deterrence doctrine: US policymakers advocate a 'reassure and deter' framework—maintaining ambiguous support for Taiwan's defense while discouraging aggressive PRC action. Allied formation in the Indo-Pacific: Countries like Australia and Japan have pledged closer defense cooperation. A US congressional delegation is visiting Taiwan to reaffirm support. Taiwan civilian readiness: Under the 'Territorial Defense Force' model, Taiwan is enhancing its reserve system and investing in low-cost mobile defense weapons to make occupation prohibitively costly. Conclusion China views Taiwan as integral to its national identity and global power projection plan, but control requires overcoming immense global and domestic resistance. Economic gain and strategic depth are key motivators, yet the full takeover presents massive economic and geopolitical costs, including undermining Beijing's longer-term modernization strategy. Multiple scholarly frameworks—from great power theory to cognitive and political warfare—explain why China may pursue Taiwan even short of war. International deterrents and Taiwan's own resilience planning are central to preventing conflict, although no one can accurately predict Beijing's next move. Ahmedabad Plane Crash Vipul Sipani is a qualified IT professional with over eight years of active working experience. He is a trained web technologist and a certified Ethical Hacker v8 security analyst. Vipul has also been a consultant with the detection and prevention of cyber crimes, with the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell (CCIC) of Rajasthan State Police. Vipul is currently working as editor-in-chief at and he is reachable on [email protected]
