nsumer of foreign luxury into an assertive producer of cultural and commercial influence. A fragrant awakening  Historically, perfume in China carried little cultural currency. As recently as 2014, Chinese consumers made up less than 1 per cent of global fragrance sales. Perfume was an imported accessory associated with wealth, gifting, or foreign prestige. Domestic players were largely absent, or relegated to private label products and copycat designs. Today, that has changed. Gen Z and millennial consumers are driving a surge in fragrance usage, not just as a luxury signifier, but as a lifestyle marker rooted in personal storytelling and cultural aesthetics. According to Euromonitor International, the market grew to RMB 20.6 billion in 2023 and is forecast to reach RMB 30 billion ($4.1 billion) this year. Social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, Douyin and WeChat give brands a powerful direct-to-consumer reach, creating buzz through unboxing rituals, poetic product names and user-generated reviews. The virality is organic and rooted in emotion, lifestyle and identity rather than mass-market appeal. “Local fragrance brands have gained prominence, securing financing and targeting the younger demographic by incorporating Chinese tradition and cultural references into their products. This aligns with the rising wave of ‘cultural confidence’ among Chinese consumers,” said Allison Malmsten, Daxue Consulting’s China strategy consultant.  The rise of cultural scent-makers Historically, the Chinese perfume market has been dominated by Western luxury names: Chanel, Dior, Jo Malone. Imported scents were luxury signals, status symbols more than sensory choices. Chinese brands often struggled to compete, stuck in imitation mode or overshadowed by foreign prestige. But according to Daxue Consulting, that dominance is being disrupted by a wave of homegrown labels aligning themselves with China’s Guochao movement, which refers to the surge in national pride that celebrates local style, history and innovation. To Summer is often considered the poster child of China’s new scent culture. Its Shanghai flagship is less a traditional retail store, but more of a scent sanctuary. Most of its stores are designed like a modern art museum, complete with gallery spaces, minimalist interiors and curated scents inspired by Chinese nature and poetry. Its bestsellers feature ingredients like osmanthus and Chinese cedar. The experience is immersive and slow-paced, encouraging visitors to spend time rather than rush to purchase. In a culture of social media-fueled retail, this deliberate pace is a powerful branding tool. Meanwhile, after drawing major investment from L’Oreal, which brought the brand value to more than $1.4 billion, Documents has been expanding its presence, opening pop-up stores across key locations in China to lure young customers. The brand embraces a more underground aesthetic, crafting a niche identity through what founder Liu Haonan calls “ritual spaces.” Its Night Temple concept store in Shanghai is part temple, part blacked-out minimalist retreat. The brand avoids livestreams and e-commerce, instead cultivating offline exclusivity and a meditative retail experience. Melt Season, another rising star, has found success by tapping into cultural storytelling. A collaboration with the hit TV series ‘To the Wonder’ led to the launch of ‘Roaming Wind’, a prairie-inspired perfume that matched the show’s visuals and mood.  Affordable domestic names like Scent Library and Chunfengshili have leaned into nostalgia. They bottle memories of cities like Dali or Suzhou, or scents that evoke childhood and seasons. Through poetic storytelling and local inspiration, they appeal to emotion and identity rather than aspirational luxury. To Summer and Melt Season have also received investments from global conglomerates like L’Oréal and Estée Lauder Companies.  From Shanghai to the world As creativity in China’s scent scene grows, so does international recognition. Following its partnership with Shanghai Fashion Week earlier this year, Notes Shanghai will partner with trade organizer Messe Frankfurt this October for its next edition.  “By combining Messe Frankfurt’s global network and Notes Shanghai’s local expertise, we aim to elevate the show’s international influence,” said Edward Che, general manager at Messe Frankfurt. The joint effort will connect upstream suppliers, boutique brands, and downstream distributors with both Chinese and international audiences. Under the new format, Notes Shanghai will also host Shanghai Perfume Week (co-curated with French scent journal NEZ), The Golden Osmanthus Awards and Noses, a dedicated space for artisan perfumers. The idea is to build not just a marketplace but an ecosystem. “The goal,” said Alex Wu, founder of Notes Shanghai, “is to break down information barriers and foster an ecosystem of creative and commercial exchange.” Cultural confidence and commercial clout  For Chinese perfume brands, cultural storytelling is not a marketing gimmick. It’s an asset in brand-building and global differentiation. From packaging to scent composition to retail environments, brands like Uttori and Barrio integrate Eastern aesthetics and philosophies into every detail.  Even in the mass market, local identity is playing a larger role. Affordable brands like Chunfengshili and Scent Library use nostalgia and poetic imagery to appeal to consumers. Scent Library, for instance, offers perfumes themed around iconic Chinese locales like Dali or Suzhou, packaged with stories that connect the place to memory. This cultural depth is helping Chinese brands not only win over domestic consumers but also begin to make waves abroad. With rising disposable incomes, growing sophistication and the power of social platforms like Xiaohongshu and Douyin, fragrance is becoming a vehicle for modern Chinese self-expression and export. Further reading: Behind Documents’ path to luxury fragrance leadership in China.