Digitalisation, luxury fashion and "Chineseness": The influence of the Chinese context for luxury brands and the online luxury consumers experience

The relationship between luxury and digitalisation, has been and still is problematic. Literature evidenced the challenging situation for luxury goods and online purchase with respect to exclusivity and identity. China has shown impressive orientation towards the digitalise world and a steady increase in Internet use in every business sector. Chinese market has its own socio-cultural norms and its luxury and fashion purchasing habits seemingly in constant evolution. The situation in China has indicated that luxury fashion brands and digitalisation have not fully revealed its development in relation to its "Chineseness" - or the specificity of the Chinese luxury and fashion market. As a result of the very limited research on digitalisation, luxury and China, this study will try to provide an understanding on the emerging issues - derived from the Chinese consumer market - which influence digitalisation strategy for luxury brands in China.