Nostalgia for China’s pre-communist past is bursting out all over Shanghai, but the mainland’s most stylish city is resurrecting not just its art deco buildings – it is reviving one of Shanghai’s most famous brands.
Shanghai Jahwa United, the Shanghai government-owned skincare company, is betting that its Shanghai VIVE (Two Sisters) brand – established in 1898 and familiar to every Chinese person – will help the company tackle foreign competitors that have long dominated the China skincare market.
From cars to trainers, homegrown Chinese brands are posing an increasingly credible challenge to global brands that have long been able to rely on a Chinese consumer preference for foreign products.