Become a Vogue Business Member to receive unlimited access to Member-only reporting and insights, our Beauty and TikTok Trend Trackers, Member-only newsletters and exclusive event invitations.
In June 2025, Los Angeles-founded label Réalisation Par says it achieved its best month of sales on Tmall Global, Alibaba’s cross-border e-commerce platform, fuelled by stock originally intended for the US being redirected to Chinese consumers amid shifting global demand and tariff pressures.
The result was immediate: dresses sold out at a record pace. For instance, when the Ellery Vivian midi dress launched on 21 May, it quickly became a star style, with more than 110 units snapped up in the first two weeks. Then came the turning point — Taiwanese music star and actress Ouyang Nana wore the dress, sending demand soaring and clearing out remaining stock in just one day. By 10 June, the team opened pre-orders, only to see that wave of inventory disappear again in less than one week.
“All the inventory we would normally ship to the US went into Tmall Global instead,” co-founder Teale Talbot tells Vogue Business. She says the brand sold double what they usually do on Tmall in the same period. “We didn’t do anything different — it was simply about meeting demand.”
The online momentum prompted the brand to open its first Mainland China pop-up at Looknow’s flagship boutique in Shanghai, running from 11 August to 14 September 2025. “We have enjoyed a successful online presence in China for several years. Our Chinese consumers truly appreciate Réalisation Par and look gorgeous in our dresses,” says Talbot. “Following the success of our pop-ups in London, LA and Sydney, we believe it’s the perfect moment, with the ideal partner, to connect with our Chinese audience IRL.”
Réalisation Par was founded by Alexandra Spencer and Talbot in 2015 out of a desire to create the pieces missing from their own wardrobes. The brand eschews traditional seasonal collections in favour of individual pieces that celebrate femininity and confidence.
Influencer-driven momentum has also played a key role in the brand’s growth. Spencer, who started her career as a blogger and influencer, brought firsthand insight into how digital communities drive consumer interest. Drawing on her experience, she helped the brand craft content that resonates online, particularly on Xiaohongshu, where authentic styling and peer recommendations amplify engagement. Over the past few years, this approach has allowed the brand to cultivate a dedicated Chinese following and translate online excitement into both awareness and in-store visits.
China’s embrace of social commerce has been swift, but the dynamics vary across the major platforms. Here’s what to know.
“If people are interested, we have to come in and let them try it on. Because you can see the pieces hanging on a rack, but when you see them on the body, they just come alive,” says Spencer. Social media and community content have amplified that effect, particularly on Xiaohongshu, where the brand has cultivated a base of Chinese fans over the past few years.
From silk sourcing to cult following
China is more than just a growth market — it’s central to Réalisation Par’s origin story. The founders sourced silk from the region early on, long before the brand had global recognition. “We were here 11 years ago,” Talbot says. “This is where our brand really started. We had the idea in Los Angeles, but we knew we wanted to make silk, and we had to come to the home of silk. To be celebrating 10 years back where it all began is a big full-circle moment for us.”
Réalisation Par entered Tmall Global in 2019 to test demand. Over the past four years, it has accumulated 388,000 followers of its Tmall channel, reflecting its growing resonance among Chinese consumers. According to Talbot, the brand’s core markets are Tier 1 cities and affluent coastal provinces — Shanghai, Beijing, Guangdong and Zhejiang — where fashion-forward consumers are most likely to embrace international niche labels.
Réalisation Par’s timing aligns with broader cultural shifts. In China, a rising demographic of self-directed, independent women is shaping consumer culture and embracing fashion as a medium of personal agency. Talbot sees a natural synergy between that movement and the brand’s ethos. “Almost all of it is the rise of the independent woman,” she says. “Our dresses look like a celebration of that individuality. It feels like a sign of the times.”
The Chinese customer base skews younger than in the West, where the brand’s dresses are worn by women from their teens to their 70s. “Here in China, it’s mid-20s to mid-30s — independent working women,” Spencer explains. “In the US or the UK, we also see mothers and daughters shopping together. Sharon Osbourne just wore our dresses. But here, it’s more specific and more youthful.”
Lessons for luxury brands
The label’s success in China offers instructive lessons for heritage maisons. Despite operating as a niche direct-to-consumer (DTC) player, the brand has managed to create a sense of aspiration and community that traditional luxury brands struggle to replicate. Its stores in Sydney and London are less transactional than experiential: customers linger, socialise and participate in a community-driven environment. That same energy carried over to its pop-up in Shanghai.
“Our company is entirely run by women,” says Talbot. “There’s a real sisterhood that echoes throughout everything. It transcends language — you feel the same energy in London, LA or Shanghai.”
Unlike global luxury players that rely heavily on localised campaigns and influencer partnerships, Réalisation has grown organically in China, propelled by some influencer gifting, user-generated content (UGC) and universal product appeal. “It’s incredible to see how well the brand is doing here with quite little input,” Talbot admits. “People just see it, they relate to it, and make it their own.”
For luxury brands competing in China, Réalisation Par’s trajectory underscores the importance of agility, community-building and product authenticity. In a market where young women are increasingly assertive in their choices, even a niche DTC brand can become a phenomenon. The message is clear: in China, relevance and resonance can outweigh scale and heritage.
Looking forward, the brand plans to broaden both its category offering and retail presence. Knitwear has already emerged as a strong performer alongside its signature silk dresses, while shoes are a natural next step. “We’re talking about doing a bit of a tour next summer, going to different cities,” says Talbot of future pop-up plans.
Comments, questions or feedback? Email us at feedback@voguebusiness.com.
