Dior Stakes Its Claim in China’s Recovering Luxury Market
On December 11, Dior opened its most ambitious retail project in China to date: the House of Dior Beijing, a five-story sculptural flagship in Sanlitun, the capital’s cultural and luxury retail hub.
Jonathan Anderson’s appearance in Beijing alongside Delphine Arnault, chair and CEO of Christian Dior Couture, signaled the strategic importance of the market for the house. The ribbon-cutting ceremony, which brought together Dior’s long-standing celebrity partners — including Chinese actor Zhang Ziyi, and Dior global brand ambassadors Zheng Qinwen and Liu Yuxin, among others — delivered significant visibility for the flagship, which quickly gained traction across major social platforms. Candid sightings of Anderson and Arnault in the city, shared widely on Xiaohongshu and Weibo, further amplified Dior’s presence and reinforced the brand’s cultural momentum in China.
A day later, Dior offered Beijing a preview of Anderson’s spring 2026 ready-to-wear collection — a signal of intent, as much as a programming choice.
The timing is deliberate. Luxury in China is entering a delicate but decisive phase. After nearly two years of volatility, the luxury sector’s third-quarter results showed the first signs of a stabilization, sharpening focus on whether the recovery can hold. In that context, few gestures foretell long-term confidence more clearly than Dior’s new Beijing store.
“This exceptional venue is much more than a boutique: it truly is a place of unique experiences where fashion meets art in all its forms,” Arnault tells Vogue Business. “The House of Dior Beijing represents a tremendous new chapter for Dior in China… making our historic and artistic links with the inspiring country of China stronger than ever.”
A cultural beacon disguised as a flagship
Conceived by architect Christian de Portzamparc, the House of Dior Beijing extends the architectural language Dior launched in Seoul (2015) and Geneva (2024). Petal-shaped shells, golden vertical tiles (reserved in Chinese tradition for royal dignitaries) and a star crowning the façade create a building that is both sculptural and symbolic — more cultural installation than retail environment.
