In collab news, Rihanna graces the cover of ‘Vogue China,’ The Dalmore whisky unveils a project with Zaha Hadid architect Melodie Leung, and Team Wang partners with ‘Chuang Asia: Thailand.’

Everyone woke up this morning to news feeds filled with Rihanna’s array of Vogue China covers for the April 2024 issue. They instantly went viral all over the world: stellar marketing in the lead up to her brand launching in the mainland via Sephora.

Luxury brand identities in 2024 must be elevated into an artistic, expressive practice to maintain cultural capital. And that’s exactly the direction that fine whisky brand The Dalmore is taking, having just revealed a visionary collaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects director Melodie Leung.

This week, Jing Daily delves into that collaboration, which was showcased at the Victoria and Albert Museum in Dundee.

Also in collaboration news, Jackson Wang’s leading local streetwear brand has joined forces with the latest trending talent TV show Chuang Asia: Thailand.

Read on for our verdict on these and subscribe here to receive the Collaborations newsletter every Tuesday.

Vogue China x RihannaRihanna is Vogue China April 2024 cover star. Photo: Vogue China

Details: Rihanna on the cover of Vogue China’s April 2024 issue [two print and three digital covers]

Social context: #rihanna has 1.79 billion views on Weibo, and 121 million on Xiaohongshu (where Vogue Plus has 31,400 followers). On Xiaohongshu, #VogueplusAprilissue (Vogueplus四月号) generated 342,300 reads on the day of the announcement.

Verdict:

• The star had graced the cover of Harpers Bazaar China, but not Vogue China. Immediately going viral, the multiple digital covers for the April 2024 issue mark the end of Margaret Zhang’s tenure at the title.
• Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty has recently revealed that it will be hitting Sephora’s China locations from April 1, so this is vital marketing for that venture.
• Amid news of Zhang parting from Vogue China and Rihanna’s constant virality alongside A$ap Rocky with their two children, the cover series has globally gone viral, injecting more relevance into China’s fashion industry in one swift move

The Dalmore x Zaha Hadid’s Melodie LeungThe second chapter of The Dalmore Luminary Series curated in partnership with V&A Dundee,Zaha Hadid Architect’s Melodie Leung’s Glass Sculpture.

Details: In collaboration with Zaha Hadid Architects director Melodie Leung, one amber cast glass sculpture housing a 49-year-old Dalmore Highland Single Malt Whisky, to be auctioned May 18. Plus, 20,000 presentation cases holding a 16-year-old Dalmore Highland Single Malt whisky, on sale March 22.

Luminary No.2 will be auctioned via Sotheby’s and an online auction live between May 17 to 31.

Social context: The Dalmore has 132,000 followers on Instagram, #thedalmore# has 2,622 reads on Weibo, and 2,143 on Xiaohongshu, where #Zaha has 3 million reads.

Verdict:

• Director at Zaha Hadid Architects, Melodie Leung has collaborated with Master Whisky Maker at The Dalmore, Gregg Glass and Master Distiller Richard Paterson — elevating the level of luxury that the whisky brand embodies, this partnership exemplifies how artistic collaboration can provide new opportunities to communicate heritage luxury.
• This is the second chapter of the “Dalmore Luminary Series,” created in partnership with V&A Dundee — The Dalmore is championing Scottish heritage through the support of the cultural institution in Dundee.
• The artistry created by Leung is a product of collaboration with Glass and Paterson, inviting consumers to visually interpret the complexity of making whisky. The sculpture, for example, took over 500 hours to create and was then fine-polished by hand to produce a liquid texture and gloss finish.

Team Wang x Chuang Asia: ThailandOne look from the Team Wang x Chuang Asia: Thailand collection. Photo: Team Wang Weibo

Details: Streetwear collection, March 23

Social context: Team Wang has 596,000 fans on Weibo but is inactive, and 472,000 on Instagram. Chuang Asia: Thailand has 37,000 on Weibo and 265,000 on Instagram.

Verdict:

• Tencent’s new Thai reality TV Chuang Asia: Thailand, a talent show that searches for the next big girl band, has gained a global audience, and as Jackson Wang is a mentor in it, an official collaboration with his eponymous hyped streetwear brand is a no-brainer.
• Despite the show only officially being released last month, Trip.com has already announced Chuang Asia-themed hotel rooms in Bangkok, and a collaboration with Maybelline, the show’s co-sponsor, is on the cards, too.
• Merchandise and streetwear categories cross over in many ways, driven by community, fan-led purchasing, and often encompassing tees and hoodies. This collection ticks all of those boxes.

Key Takeaways

• On the day of being announced, Rihanna’s Vogue China shoot has gone viral on social media in China and all over the world — timed with the launch of her Fenty Beauty brand to Sephora China stores on April 1st.
• Luxury whisky brand The Dalmore has collaborated with director at Zaha Hadid Architects, Melodie Leung on the second instalment of the brand’s Luminary series curated in partnership with V&A Dundee.
• Jackson Wang’s buzzy streetwear brand Team Wang has collaborated with the TV show on which he is a mentor: Chuang Asia: Thailand. Launching in Feburary 2024, the show has garnered a major following, already featuring in a themed hotel room on Trip.com, and garnering 265k followers on Instagram.
• Vogue covers still have the power to break the internet, so Rihanna has stirred excitement in the lead up to her beauty brand Fenty Beauty entering China via Sephora. However, the retailer’s closure in Korea proves that the Western beauty industry is struggling to keep up with Asian offerings — will Rihanna’s Fenty Beauty succeed in the market?
• The Dalmore’s Zaha Hadid Architects Luminary No.2 will be auctioned at Sotheby’s Singapore in May 2024, and live May 17th to 31st. On the topic of alcohol and Asia, read more on the trends in China’s alcohol industry here.