E-COMMERCE  /  SME

By FedEx | October 17, 2025

Luxury is often synonymous with Europe, but a wave of Asian luxury brands is making a splash abroad. Here’s what you should know about Europe’s growing appetite for made-in-Asia fashion.

• A new generation of European shoppers is redefining luxury as identity, and Asian brands are using storytelling to resonate with them.
• As sustainable luxury gains ground in Europe, Asian businesses are adopting eco-friendly materials and tracking the carbon footprint of their shipments.
• Most importantly, consumers expect a smooth and secure experience from shopping to shipping – making it essential for brands to treat logistics as part of the luxury journey.

Gucci, Prada, Chanel, Hermès – when you think of luxury, these are likely the first names that come to mind. But have you heard of Shang Xia, the “Chinese Hermès” that’s steadily making waves among Europe’s fashionistas?

Helmed by Chinese designer Jiang Qiong Er and backed by Hermès, Shang Xia is best described as East meets West. Its aesthetic combines ancient Chinese craftsmanship with contemporary design, producing clothing and jewelry that feel timeless yet refreshing. While its inspiration is oriental, its appeal is global: its collections have turned heads at Paris Fashion Week in recent years, and it has a boutique in Paris’ iconic Place Dauphine.

Shang Xia isn’t the only made-in-Asia label making a splash abroad. While European brands have long been the last word in luxury, a new wave of Asian fashion exports is stepping onto the world stage.

In the first half of 2025, China’s clothing exports to Europe rose by 20% from the previous year. Much of these exports come from fast fashion – think SHEIN – but a growing handful of high fashion names are winning recognition in Europe’s style capitals.

Several factors are driving this expansion: storytelling that resonates with consumer values, a focus on sustainability, and enhanced supply chains from Asia Pacific to Europe. This momentum is more than a passing trend – it’s a promising growth opportunity for Asian luxury brands to enter Europe.

Rewriting luxury for a new generation

By 2026, three out of four luxury consumers worldwide will be millennials and Gen Zs. These younger generations are redefining the concept of luxury by choosing personality over prestige.

Rather than buying luxury items to display wealth, millennials and Gen Zs buy to express themselves. In fact, 47% of luxury shoppers in Europe and the US associate luxury with empowerment and individuality, splurging as a form of self-expression rather than as a means to showcase status.

This shift is driving consumers to discover brands that feel authentic and reflect their personalities. Whereas traditional luxury names often serve as status symbols, Asian fashion brands are standing out by telling innovative stories that resonate with shoppers’ identities.

Take Korean fashion house WE11DONE, which is stocked at top e-commerce retailers around the world, including Italy’s Luisaviaroma and the UK’s Net-A-Porter. WE11DONE has gained fame for its gender-neutral philosophy and versatile silhouettes, attracting a generation of consumers who reject traditional gender binaries. It’s also known for weaving nostalgic cultural references into its collections. For example, its 2025 collection, Celluloid Dreams, reimagines 1990s cult Hollywood cinema, exploring themes of identity and rebellion.

Songmont is another brand using impactful storytelling to make its mark. This Beijing-based luxury handbag label often features “grandmas” in its marketing campaigns to challenge ageist stereotypes. Such inclusive messaging enables it to appeal to a younger generation that values diversity and representation. As the first Chinese handbag brand to debut at Paris Fashion Week in fall 2024, there’s no doubt Songmont’s stylish bags are gaining attention in Europe.

Where style meets sustainability

Europe’s luxury shoppers are increasingly keen on making sustainable choices. 72% of European consumers are interested in buying sustainable luxury goods, and about 34% are willing to spend at least 5-10% more on such products.

As shoppers look for brands that match their values, Asian fashion exports that champion sustainability are finding a warm welcome in Europe. Japanese fashion designer Issey Miyake is one iconic example.

Issey Miyake is renowned for using computer programming to produce rolls of fabric that are pre-sewn or fused with finished patterns. The result? Garments cut from a single piece of cloth with low to zero waste. In 2024, the label’s new collection, A-POC Able, debuted in the UK and received acclaim for its innovative techniques, including sustainable textiles made from rice husks.

Another sustainable brand expanding in Europe is Icicle, a Shanghai-born label that recently opened its fourth store in Paris. Celebrating the philosophy “Made in Earth”, Icicle aims to create fashion in harmony with nature. From natural fabrics to organic plant dyes, its clothing is minimal, elegant, and built on Taoist principles of balance.

But sustainability goes beyond the materials you choose. These days, eco-conscious shoppers expect e-commerce brands to adopt sustainable practices throughout the supply chain. Sustainable online shopping is important to 64% of European consumers, and nearly half would accept longer delivery times to benefit the environment.

As your luxury brand expands globally, especially into the European market, working with a logistics provider that supports your sustainability goals will be essential. With the right tools, you can make sustainable shipping choices and build trust with customers who value transparency. For instance, FedEx Sustainability Insights helps you track your shipments’ carbon emissions, so you can make informed decisions about your supply chain strategy.

Balizen, a Balinese brand that champions slow fashion, has been able to connect with global customers through FedEx while staying true to its green ethos. “FedEx provides robust carbon footprint tracking and reporting capabilities to help us understand and manage the environmental impact of our shipments,” says Balizen co-founder Andrea Phillips.

Luxury that extends to the last mile

When consumers splurge on high-end goods, they want a high-quality experience that extends from shopping to shipping. For European customers, the e-commerce experience sometimes falls short. For instance, 28% of Italian, 24% of UK, and 22% of French luxury customers rate their online shopping experience as underwhelming, especially in terms of technical features and delivery services.

Cross-border luxury supply chains come with unique challenges. Brands need to ensure their high-value goods arrive swiftly and in perfect condition, while providing customers reassurance through near-real-time tracking. But when done right, it’s an opportunity for Asian luxury brands to stand out in Europe with a smooth, seamless, and secure delivery experience.

When Singapore luxury leather bag brand Tocco Toscano began shipping overseas, it faced repeated issues with missing or damaged parcels that threatened its brand reputation. By working with FedEx, Tocco Toscano reduced shipping delays and strengthened package security. FedEx International Priority and FedEx International Economy supported the brand’s needs with timely deliveries and near-real-time tracking features, successfully boosting customer satisfaction.

To help APAC businesses leverage Europe’s luxury market opportunities, FedEx has enhanced its Asia-Europe flight services. In October 2025, we added five weekly flights connecting APAC to our European hub at Paris Charles de Gaulle, providing businesses with faster, more reliable access to European markets.

We also enhanced our flight service from Hanoi, Vietnam, enabling shipments from Northern Vietnam to reach Asia and Europe one day faster. Another key flight route connects our APAC hub in Guangzhou, China, to Bangalore, India, the UAE, and onward to Liege and Paris in Europe, reducing transit times by one day.

These enhancements make intercontinental shipping faster and more reliable, helping brands satisfy customers with on-time deliveries. At the same time, we’re boosting connectivity within Asia through our growing air and ground network. This links local businesses to our APAC hubs, opening up greater access to global markets.

Besides speed, security is key when shipping high-value items. Our FedEx Surround monitoring and intervention suite allows you to track your luxury shipments in near-real-time and receive predictive insights about potential disruptions. With end-to-end visibility of shipments, you can safeguard your goods against loss or damage and build trust with customers.

Europe: The next big opportunity for Asia’s luxury brands

Fueled by shifting luxury consumer trends, we see a rising tide of Asia’s high fashion brands carving out a name for themselves in Europe.

If your brand is looking to seize global opportunities, Europe is a strategic next step in your growth journey. As one of the world’s largest markets for luxury goods, it’s home to a discerning pool of shoppers who are hungry for authenticity and innovation.

FedEx offers a robust range of Europe shipping services that balance speed and cost-friendliness, enabling businesses of all sizes to reach new markets. With decades of Europe trade expertise, we can help you navigate customs clearance and fulfill your growing e-commerce shipping needs.

Ultimately, the essence of luxury lies in excellence in every detail. With a reliable logistics provider supporting your cross-border growth, you can deliver a luxury experience from checkout to doorstep.

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Find out more about shipping to Europe here.