Christian Dior, a French fashion house, has decided to postpone its massive fashion show that was scheduled to take place in Hong Kong in March, the government announced on Monday. The decision was made without providing an explanation.
Many in the luxury industry had been looking forward to the event since last November, when musician Pharrell Williams led a high-profile Louis Vuitton display in an effort to reestablish the Chinese city as a destination for luxury goods and draw in affluent shoppers.
When Reuters asked Dior for an explanation for the show’s postponement, the fashion house did not immediately reply.
“The organizer has just notified us that the event will take place at a later time. Large-scale events are actually frequently postponed. We still welcome significant events.
Hong Kong’s luxury shops are adjusting to a decline in wealthy Chinese visitors to the city and a change in the type of tourists who visit Instagram-worthy locations in hip neighborhoods instead of shelling out big bucks for designer clothing.
Because of its appeal to affluent mainland tourists, the Chinese Special Administrative Region has defied worldwide trends prior to the epidemic, indicating a decline in demand for multi-brand department shops and ultra-luxury products.
However, industry experts claim that the emergence of rival shopping destinations like China’s Hainan island, shifting consumer tastes, and an increase in internet shopping have drastically altered Hong Kong’s demand for luxury items and are beginning to disrupt the city’s tourism sector.
