To reinforce its presence in the Chinese market, Mytheresa, the Munich-based luxury e-commerce player, has announced a new Chinese name and launched on WeChat’s Mini Program.
Its Chinese name Mei Lin Shi, which translates “beauty,” “selection” and “world,” respectively, is meant to capture Mytheresa’s proposition of offering a curated “assortment of the most coveted luxury brands as well as exclusive collections for a community of true luxury enthusiasts and their lifestyle,” said the company in a press release.
For Gareth Locke, Mytheresa’s chief growth officer and managing director, the new name underscores Mytheresa’s commitment to actively playing a part in China‘s luxury ecosystem.
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“[We are] not just an ordering platform,” said Locke. “In a period where several Western retailers are closing their presence in the region, Mytheresa underlines our long-term engagement in China,” he added.
Simultaneously, Mytheresa has launched its WeChat Mini Program, an embedded function within China’s ubiquitous WeChat super-app. It has the potential for enable luxury e-tailers to reach more than 1.2 billion users.
According to the company, Mytheresa’s Mini Program will include a selection of more than 180 luxury brands across womenswear, menswear and kidswear. Users will be able to benefit from personalized recommendations, live chat support, and secure checkout via WeChat Pay. Orders will be fulfilled by Mytheresa’s European warehouse.
“With the launch of our new WeChat Mini Program we will continue to boost our reach to Chinese consumers in innovative ways as we strive to cater to their ever-evolving needs. This marks a new and exciting Chinese chapter for Mytheresa and it is just the beginning,” said Dede Chan Brignoli, Mytheresa’s newly appointed president for Greater China. Brignoli, who succeeded Steven Xu in July, was formerly the head of e-commerce for LVMH in the Greater China region.
With Net-a-porter leaving the Chinese market, and Farfetch China waiting for its fate to unfold after being folded into Coupang, Mytheresa is one of the few foreign players left standing in China’s luxury e-commerce space.
Mytheresa entered the Chinese market by opening a Shanghai office in 2022. That year, mainland China GMV growth rose by 22.5 percent, despite regional COVID-19 lockdowns.
Mytheresa doesn’t break out sales figures for the Chinese market, but the Asia-Pacific, which includes China, South Korea and Australia, represented 25 percent of the business in 2023.
In the most recent fiscal fourth quarter, the company said China and the rest of Asia continue to be impacted by ongoing macro headwinds and uncertainties. Company chief executive officer Michael Kliger said during a call with investors that the Chinese market will need another eight to 12 months to recover.