In brief
- In June 2026, Asia established itself as the leading innovation laboratory for major luxury Maisons.
- In China, major cultural initiatives led by Rolex, Max Mara and Vacheron Constantin celebrate anniversaries through the lens of heritage.
- Southeast Asia and South Korea are deploying new technologies, from artificial intelligence applied to beauty to watchmaking flagships.
In June 2026, Asia established itself more than ever as the major hub for new luxury experiences, through the deployment of large-scale exhibitions, technological innovations and novel retail formats.
The best of China
Rolex · Oyster Story Exhibition in Shanghai
Watchmaking excellence at the heart of heritage celebrations
To mark the centenary of the iconic Oyster watch, Rolex presented the world premiere of ‘Oyster Story’ at the West Bund Dome Art Center in Shanghai, from 10 to 28 June 2026. This major retrospective placed product innovation, engineering and the spirit of exploration at the heart of its narrative.
The journey was structured around major historical pieces, such as the original waterproof model from 1926. Inside the immersive ‘Superlative’ room, clients discovered the inner workings of the Geneva manufacture’s expertise, while a gallery of 100 portraits of pioneers bridged the gap between human achievements and technical precision. This celebration coincided with the inauguration of the Shanghai Rolex House at HKRI Taikoo Hui, the watchmaker’s very first directly operated flagship in China.
Ralph Lauren · First Polo Cup in Beijing
Ralph Lauren transposed its historic equestrian heritage to the verdant setting of Beijing’s Wenyu River Park during the brand’s very first Polo Cup in China. This high-end event brought together a gathering of personalities from cinema, the arts and sport to watch the clashes between four distinguished teams.
Alongside the competition, guests were able to learn the codes of the discipline during an exclusive Polo Clinic, blending refined outdoor rituals with immersion in the brand’s American art de vivre. This activation resonated strongly with the iconic 1971 Polo pony, reaffirmed as the ultimate symbol of contemporary and timeless chic.
Burberry · Bucolic Escape in Shanghai
By taking over the outdoor esplanade of Plaza 66, the house of Burberry recreated the atmosphere of an English manor with a hedge maze and a hexagonal glass greenhouse. Named ‘Secret Summer Garden’, this pop-up space inaugurated on 18 June invited passers-by on a dreamlike stroll punctuated by equestrian sculptures.
At the centre of the garden, the greenhouse housed the brand’s summer pieces as well as the exclusive capsule dedicated to the Qixi Festival. Between games of giant chess, visitors could enjoy a break at the mobile coffee bar, extending the classic retail experience into an outdoor art de vivre moment highly shared on social media.
Miu Miu in Shanghai · New Luxury Experiences
Miu Miu chose the historic architecture of the Shanghai Exhibition Center to unveil its Women’s Tales film archives in a live performance. Presented from 5 to 7 June 2026, the immersive ‘Tales & Tellers’ exhibition represented the third international stage of this major artistic project.
Professional actors brought to life the characters from the short films created for the brand by contemporary female directors. By bringing together fashion, cinema and live performance in the heart of the neoclassical-style building erected in 1955, Miu Miu consolidated its status as a committed patron of global female creation.
BVLGARI · Restoration of a Masterpiece in Shanghai
For its sixth participation as an official partner of the Shanghai International Film Festival, the Roman jeweller funded the meticulous 4K Dolby Atmos restoration of the film Peking Opera Blues. This cult feature film by director Tsui Hark celebrated its fortieth anniversary this year.
Nearly 150 hours of digital processing carried out by specialists at L’Immagine Ritrovata restored this major work of Hong Kong heritage to its original brilliance. The strong themes of the film, driven by powerful female figures, resonate with the creative philosophy of the Italian house, whose high jewellery pieces illuminated the festival’s red carpet on the necks of Asia’s biggest stars.
Vacheron Constantin · Thirty Years of Escape in Shenzhen
Vacheron Constantin celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of its Overseas collection at Shenzhen Bay MixC, through a thematic journey structured into five immersive chapters, from 31 May to 14 June.
The technical highlight of the presentation was the Les Cabinotiers Solaria watch, a micromechanical marvel featuring a total of 41 complications. To build a cultural bridge between Geneva’s watchmaking tradition and the art of the Middle Kingdom, the house called upon artist Jiang Shan, whose illustrations dialogued with an authentic imperial court robe from the Qing dynasty on loan from the Palace Museum.
Max Mara · A Double Archive Event in Shanghai
When fashion and haute couture reinvent their heritage
To mark its 75th anniversary, the Italian brand took over the Long Museum West Bund in Shanghai to present the global runway show of its Resort 2027 collection. The event was accompanied by the retrospective ‘The Max!’, designed by the prestigious fashion curator Olivier Saillard.
Avoiding the trap of a classic chronology, the exhibition placed workshop sketches, historic communication campaigns and iconic coat models, such as the legendary 101801 coat, on an equal footing. The new creations presented on the runway thus naturally extended this stylistic dialogue with the brand’s history in front of prestigious international ambassadors.
LOEWE · Literary and Craft Celebration in Shanghai
LOEWE chose to celebrate its 180 years of existence by popping up in local independent bookstores, such as Sinan Books and Dui Dui Dui Bookstore. This highly poetic format departed from the beaten track of promotional retail.
Integrated among raw wood shelving, a warm scenography unveiled the house’s new book, entitled ‘180 Years of Craft’, surrounded by limited-edition leather goods and miniature lacquered lion sculptures. For the occasion, the brand’s flagship, the Shanghai LOEWE House, featured a majestic scarlet lion installation on its facade, welcoming collectors and cultural figures from across the country.
Chanel · A Pop-up Radio Station in Beijing
Chanel transformed the south square of Taikoo Li Sanlitun in Beijing into a retro-futuristic radio studio named ‘Radio Shine FM’. This immersive pop-up, open from 19 June to 5 July, focused on voice recording to determine a personalised shade of the new Coco Shine lip gloss.
Each visitor was invited to speak into a vintage microphone so that the sound wave of their voice generated a personalised lipstick shade. Testing counters surrounded by pink neon lights then allowed them to experiment with the 18 shades in the range under the expert guidance of makeup artists, transforming the cosmetic purchase into a memorable sensory and technological experience.
Prada · Monumental Showcase in Shenzhen
Prada asserted its commercial presence in southern China by inaugurating a new showcase of over 900 square metres spread across two levels within the prestigious Shenzhen Bay MixC complex.
The interior design reinterprets the historic aesthetic of the brand’s Milanese gallery, with its iconic black and white chequered marble tiles and warm rosewood screens. In addition to the ready-to-wear and accessories collections, this space includes highly confidential sales salons, a complete second-life leather care workshop and the eco-responsible jewellery line Eternal Gold.
Burberry · Wild Odyssey in Three Documentaries
To celebrate its history closely linked to protection against the elements, the British house produced, in partnership with the Chinese National Geography magazine, a three-part documentary series exploring Chinese landscapes.
The first episode, unveiled on 9 June, followed actor and brand ambassador Chen Kun into the heart of the wild Qinling Mountains. Equipped with the house’s technical cotton gabardine outerwear, the walker set out to meet local wildlife and age-old traditions, embodying a respectful and measured vision of discovering preserved natural spaces.
Abercrombie & Fitch · Seaside Stopover in Shanghai
Abercrombie & Fitch breathed a Riviera scent into the heart of the Xintiandi district by opening its ‘A&F Boating Club’, a hybrid concept store combining fashion and bakery gastronomy in collaboration with the AMAM brand.
Among white ropes, unfurled sails and varnished wood hulls, passers-by could enjoy fine pastries created exclusively in the brand’s marine hues. This summer stopover offered customers the opportunity to discover the brand’s linen and lightweight denim collection while participating in creative traditional weaving workshops.
Lululemon · A Yoga Gathering Facing the Bund
The Canadian sportswear brand took over Shanghai’s North Bund esplanade for its annual festival, gathering no fewer than 1,300 enthusiasts in the pouring rain, demonstrating the rallying power of its active community.
Renowned instructors led yoga sessions punctuated by traditional Chinese martial arts. At dusk, a huge light show projection featuring the brand’s logo illuminated the iconic skyscrapers of the Pudong business district, while participants discovered the new collection designed in the advanced technical Nulu fabric.
The best of Asia
Patek Philippe · Architectural Hat-trick in Southeast Asia
Southeast Asia and Japan as New Retail Horizons
The Geneva-based family watchmaker made a strong impression by orchestrating three major openings within forty-eight hours in Hong Kong, Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur, hand in hand with its historic retail partners.
Each boutique redefines the criteria of high-end watchmaking hospitality. At Hong Kong LANDMARK, a huge 3,000-square-foot space hosted the exhibition of the brand’s rare enamelled works. In Bangkok, the boutique now stands on two floors connected by a private lift within the One Bangkok complex, while the Kuala Lumpur showcase at Starhill establishes itself as the manufacture’s largest retail space in Southeast Asia.
Hermès · Major Textile Statement in Nagoya
The inauguration of the Hermès Nagoya Sakae boutique within the HAERA building celebrates the house’s second-largest showcase in Japan, developed by the renowned architecture agency RDAI.
Each level of the boutique pays tribute to Japanese craft heritage, borrowing the subtle tones of lacquer, traditional shibori weaving and yuzen patterns. The building’s monumental facade features remarkable work composed of nearly 1,000 cotton threads stretched behind large windows, evoking the poetic intersection between a traditional loom and the silhouette of galloping horses.
Laneige · AI-Augmented Beauty in Seoul
Korean brand Laneige has reopened its huge three-storey flagship in Myeongdong, introducing AI-optimised dermatological diagnostics to personalise its customers’ skincare.
In less than twenty minutes, a computer analyses the skin’s barrier to formulate a bespoke toner from 25 possible formulas. Further on, a robotic arm prepares a foundation precisely adjusted to the visitor’s skin tone from a palette of 150 shades right before their eyes, illustrating the successful integration of advanced technology into daily beauty rituals.
Mandarin Oriental · Urban Rejuvenation in Hong Kong
The prestigious address of Mandarin Oriental, The Landmark in Hong Kong reopened its doors on 1 June 2026 following a complete metamorphosis estimated at one billion dollars led by Hongkong Land.
Renowned interior designer Joyce Wang imagined the renewal of the property’s 109 rooms, infusing them with the cosy atmosphere of a contemporary private residence. This setting offers an enriched gastronomic experience with several Michelin-starred venues, as well as a new state-of-the-art wellness centre combining Eastern and Western therapies.
Cartier · Celebration of Female Impact in Bangkok
The jewellery house Cartier relocated the annual ceremony of the Cartier Women’s Initiative to Thailand for the first time, reaffirming the philanthropic and entrepreneurial commitment of the jewellery house.
Reunissant plus de 700 convives au sein de la prestigieuse université Chulalongkorn, cet événement a récompensé 30 femmes d’affaires menant des projets d’utilité publique à travers 19 pays. To extend the impact of this global event, Cartier also produced an intimate documentary series profiling five local female entrepreneurs committed to preserving their environment.
Buccellati · Dramatic Entry into the Thai Market
The famous high jewellery house Buccellati sealed its arrival in Thailand by inaugurating its largest location in the Asia-Pacific region to date at Siam Paragon.
This new showcase features handmade stucco mouldings and noble wood panelling reminiscent of the splendour of Milanese aristocratic palaces. Amid period furniture and two exceptional 16th-century Neapolitan mirrors, clients can contemplate the iconic Macri and Opera collections, testaments to a unique gold engraving expertise passed down from generation to generation.
This article is based on public information released by the mentioned Maisons. La Revue des Hôtels received no financial compensation for this publication.
