On 5 November, the ninth China International Import Expo (CIIE) opened at the National Exhibition and Convention Center in Shanghai. A record 4,142 companies from 148 countries and regions brought their products and technologies to the event. For the first time, the expo’s total exhibition area exceeded 440,000 square metres, while the number of participating Fortune Global 500 companies and industry leaders surpassed 300. More than 2,000 companies were first-time exhibitors.
Among them, Qeelin, the fine jewellery brand owned by French luxury group Kering, used the occasion to launch its new brand, Qeelin GOLD; Canadian athletic apparel and lifestyle brand lululemon presented three innovative products for the first time in China; and Japanese sports brand ASICS staged the first physical showcase of its WALKING collection in the Chinese market.
Luxeplace.com was invited to attend the companies’ pavilion opening ceremonies on 6 November, gaining a first-hand look at their latest innovations in jewellery and sports.
Qeelin GOLD
Qeelin, the fine jewellery brand owned by Kering, took its place in the Kering pavilion at this year’s CIIE. The brand used the occasion to officially launch Qeelin GOLD, opening a new chapter in its story through gold.
At this year’s CIIE, Qeelin GOLD made its debut with the new BAJING collection. The brand’s inaugural collection draws inspiration from octagonal structures in traditional Chinese architecture, from ornate caisson ceilings to octagonal garden windows. It captures the distinctive sense of order and perspective in Eastern architecture, offering a window onto the world and bringing cultural heritage and contemporary creativity together in gold.
On 20 November, the first Qeelin GOLD boutique will open at Grand Gateway 66 in Shanghai, giving the brand a dedicated, independent space to express its aesthetic and marking a new chapter in its exploration of gold craftsmanship.
Qeelin described Qeelin GOLD as a significant milestone in the brand’s development. It not only continues Qeelin’s contemporary interpretation of Chinese culture over more than two decades, but also extends that exploration into gold jewellery, reaffirming the brand’s long-term commitment to the Chinese market.
Behind this new chapter lies the cultural inspiration that first took root in Dunhuang. In 1997, Qeelin founder and creative director Dennis Chan visited Dunhuang, where the rich cultural heritage depicted in the Mogao Caves’ murals deeply moved him. The experience inspired his mission to create a brand that would share China’s long history with the world. In 2004, Qeelin made its debut on the Cannes Film Festival red carpet, pioneering the use of the gourd motif in contemporary fine jewellery. In May that year, it opened its first point of sale at the Hôtel de Crillon in Paris, formally stepping onto the international jewellery stage.
Over more than two decades, Qeelin has used jewellery to reinterpret traditional Chinese symbols through contemporary design, bringing them renewed lustre and introducing Eastern jewellery to an international audience. It became the first Chinese jewellery brand to open flagship stores on both Place Vendôme in Paris and in Tokyo’s Ginza district.
Today, guided by the brand’s spirit and cultural roots, Dennis Chan brings his commitment to fine jewellery craftsmanship to Qeelin GOLD. With gold at its heart, the new brand takes the spirit of open, inclusive exchange embodied by the Silk Road as a fresh creative starting point, presenting Eastern symbolism in more diverse forms.
For millennia, gold travelled between civilisations along the Silk Road, serving not only as an important medium of exchange but also as a carrier of cultural and aesthetic dialogue. This spirit of openness and exchange inspires Qeelin GOLD. Following this thread, the brand reinterprets traditional goldsmithing techniques, including filigree, granulation, wirework, setting, enamelling, engraving and gold finishing, through modern design, making artisanal craftsmanship integral to its contemporary creations.
“I have always believed that every generation should have its own aesthetic and means of expression,” said Dennis Chan. “Qeelin GOLD seeks to reinterpret gold jewellery through a contemporary lens, bringing Eastern culture into today’s lives in ways that feel more relevant to everyday life and the times we live in.”
lululemon
Canadian athletic apparel and lifestyle brand lululemon participated in CIIE for the third consecutive year, holding its pavilion opening ceremony on 6 November. Attendees included Li Guoqing, Deputy Director-General of the China International Import Expo Bureau; Ju Xinping, Deputy Director of the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Commerce; Wei Lan, Deputy Head of Xuhui District; Huang Feng, President of the Shanghai Foreign Investment Association; lululemon CEO Heidi O’Neill; lululemon President and Chief Commercial Officer André Maestrini; and lululemon President, China and Asia Pacific, San Yan Ng.
André Maestrini, Ju Xinping, Wang Shun, Heidi O’Neill, Li Guoqing, Wei Lan and San Yan Ng (from left to right) attend lululemon’s pavilion opening ceremony
lululemon CEO Heidi O’Neill said, “I am delighted to attend CIIE for the first time and see lululemon participate for the third consecutive year. CIIE is an important platform for global exchange, collaboration and innovation, offering us valuable opportunities to listen, learn and grow. Since entering the Chinese Mainland in 2013, we have seen active, healthy lifestyles become increasingly popular, alongside a growing focus on wellbeing. These changes continue to inspire our local innovation and community building. We look forward to continuing to grow with China and contributing to Healthy China and fitness for all.”
Under the theme “made to feel“, lululemon’s pavilion at this year’s CIIE invited visitors to experience signature collections across its six categories: yoga, running, training, tennis, golf and casual wear. Visitors could learn about the brand’s work in product innovation, wellbeing advocacy and community connection, while exploring their own sense of wellbeing through activities ranging from breathwork to fitness challenges.
At the expo, three lululemon innovations made their China debut: Unrestricted Power™ for training, ShowZero™ for tennis, and the Ventscape™ Run Vest, designed for running in cold weather. The Ventscape™ Run Vest, lululemon’s latest product innovation, made its global debut at CIIE and will go on sale first in China on 8 December.
The Ventscape™ Run Vest addresses a longstanding challenge of running in cold weather: feeling cold at the start, then damp and overheated as the intensity increases. Combining PrimaLoft® ThermoPlume®+ insulation with mesh fabric, the vest balances warmth and breathability, helping runners stay comfortable as their thermal needs change throughout a run.
The other two innovations will reach guests in China in 2027. The Unrestricted Power™ training collection uses proprietary PowerLu™ fabric, with fine yarns delivering durable performance alongside secure support, freedom of movement and a soft feel. It helps reduce restriction and garment shifting during exercises such as squats and weightlifting. The latest ShowZero™ technology changes how light interacts with fabric, reducing light absorption when the fabric becomes wet. Even during activities that generate heavy perspiration, such as tennis, it makes sweat less visible while remaining lightweight and breathable, helping wearers feel confident throughout.
At this year’s CIIE, lululemon also released its first documentary on its charitable work, focusing on its initiatives in China. The film shares how university students participating in the “Public Good Future – Youth Empowerment Programme” gain a greater sense of wellbeing through giving. “Everyone deserves to feel their best. Improving people’s wellbeing is a long-term commitment for us,” said San Yan Ng, lululemon President, China and Asia Pacific. “lululemon continues to advocate for wellbeing in China, encouraging more people to incorporate movement and mindfulness into their daily lives and care for their physical and mental health. Looking ahead, we will continue working with local partners to expand access to relevant resources and support, contributing to Healthy China 2030 through sustained action.”
At this year’s CIIE, lululemon teamed up with brand ambassador and world champion swimmer Wang Shun to bring the popular “Rise Together” fitness challenge from this year’s Summer Sweat Games to its pavilion, sharing the joy of moving together with visitors.
Wang Shun attends lululemon’s pavilion opening ceremony and invites visitors to take part in the “Rise Together” fitness challenge
ASICS
Renowned Japanese sports brand ASICS appeared at the ninth China International Import Expo, marking its seventh consecutive year of participation.
As it celebrated the 20th anniversary of its entry into the Chinese market, ASICS designed its pavilion as a forward-moving “ASICS EXPRESS” train. The pavilion traced the brand’s development in China and brought together a range of performance sports technologies and new products and equipment. It also served as a new starting point for the brand’s 2027 “YEAR OF CHINA” chapter, underscoring its firm commitment to continued investment in the Chinese market and to growing alongside China’s sports sector.
Koji Hayashi, Chairman of ASICS China and Senior President of ASICS Greater China, said, “CIIE is an important platform for ASICS to deepen its engagement with the Chinese market. Over the past 20 years, we have witnessed and participated in the vigorous growth of China’s sports market, and China has become one of the most important markets in our global strategy. Today, sport is not only a powerful force for improving public health, but is also becoming increasingly integrated into people’s lives and consumption habits, opening up considerable room for growth. Looking towards 2027, we will further increase our investment in the Chinese market, bringing Chinese consumers more specialised products and richer sporting experiences, and helping China’s sports sector enter a new stage of development.”
One of the highlights was the first physical showcase of ASICS WALKING in the Chinese market. Launched in 1983, the collection combines sports science with everyday footwear design, focusing not only on functionality and comfort but also on helping people feel physically and mentally revitalised. ASICS WALKING comprises four ranges: PEDALA for lightweight urban wear, BUSINESS for gentlemen’s business footwear, WELLNESS WALKER for active leisure, and LIFE WALKER for lightweight walking comfort. Together, they address different walking needs across brisk walking, business, everyday life, and travel. ASICS WALKING entered the Chinese market and opened an online flagship store in September this year, with plans to gradually open physical stores.
Meanwhile, the product display area highlighted the two core families within ASICS’ performance running line: cushioning and energy return. The cushioning family was represented by the latest GEL-NIMBUS 29, with an immersive display of three-dimensional clouds illustrating its signature cushioning and underfoot comfort. The energy-return family brought together four key products: MEGABLAST, SONICBLAST 2, SUPERBLAST 3 and NOVABLAST 6. Drawing on innovative midsole technologies and structural design, these products address runners’ varied needs, from everyday training to performance training and competition.
Elsewhere in the pavilion, a brand history wall along the exhibition route traced ASICS’ journey from its founding and achievements on the international sporting stage to its establishment and continued growth in China. The ASICS CHOJO CAMP training base and training system, alongside its extensive portfolio of sporting events, illustrated the brand’s continued investment in professional training, talent development and competitive sport. ASICS will also participate as an official sponsor of the World Athletics Championships Beijing 2027, to be held next year.
| Source: Official brand press releases
| Image Credit: Courtesy of the brands
| Editor: Luxeplace
