“Design in China”​ e19 – 观夏 To Summer’s Eastern Botanical Scents

To Summer’s Eastern Botanical Scents

Finding the best perfume for yourself is a process of elimination due to the vast number of scents available, and the distinction between good and outstanding is important to note. Through the workmanship that goes into perfumes and the feelings they arouse, extraordinary scents convey a narrative. The perfect scent may increase your self-esteem, bring back memories, or even make you smile. While foreign brands like Burberry, Chanel, Dior, and Gucci dominate the Chinese perfume industry, the niche Chinese fragrance brand To Summer has captured the attention of younger customers.

To Summer has become a household name in just four years because of the fact that consumers are willing to purchase perfumes online. Shen Li, a former fashion editor, and Huipu Liu, a seasoned e-commerce professional, co-founded the Chinese fragrance company To Summer in 2018. In 2019 the brand introduced its debut product, and on the first day of sales, 1,000 units were sold. By concentrating on Eastern Scents, which appeal to the olfactory preferences of the younger generation, To Summer sets itself apart from Western fragrance firms. They are dedicated to reviving the bamboo, citrus, gardenia, honeysuckle, jasmine, orchid, osmanthus, and sandalwood aromas that are characteristically Eastern botanicals. The product names from To Summer are also influenced by Chinese culture and fashion, like “Summer Lotus”, “Summer Jasmine”, and “Crystal Mood Aroma.” These names could not be translated into English and yet convey the same meanings and outcomes as the Chinese names. It is effective from a brand viewpoint, especially for fragrance brands, to communicate tales through fragrances.

To Summer’s distinctive brand positioning, DTC (Direct to Consumer), innovative packaging, marketing methods, and other promotional tactics set it different from other fragrance businesses. Moreover, To Summer exclusively sells its products on the WeChat mini-program and Xiaohongshu shop. Additionally, the brand’s popularity is directly related to “Guochao,” also known as “China Pride,” the most prominent trend in the nation. Younger people now choose to support domestic brands with the “Made in China” label because they have a greater emotional connection with these businesses due to their inherent cultural knowledge. The 7% predicted growth of the global fragrance industry from 2021 to 2025 shows the enormous potential of the Chinese market. 

To Summer’s workforce can create colorful and alluring descriptions of its fragranced items of all varieties by rephrasing phrases in ways that would appeal most to Gen Z and Millennials. Moreover, To Summer’s descriptions of the many fragranced goods it offers are able to be vibrant and alluring. Department stores and offline shops have historically been the best places to buy perfume. However, younger customers are less loyal to these retail outlets. Its distinctive Direct to Consumer business strategy focuses solely on private traffic on WeChat and Xiaohognshu. Due to its exclusivity, the fragrance brand, which sells about 20 different fragrances in the form of candles, diffusers, and perfumes, has developed a cult following. Products can only be purchased from To Summer’s official WeChat account, pop-up shops in Beijing’s Lane Crawford or Tai Koo Li mall, or directly from the brand’s official website.