Loewe Goes Into Action With Hello, a Chinese Bike Sharing Company, to Celebrate Shanghai Flagship Opening
To introduce Loewe‘s bold new store in Shanghai — a “golden cube” covered with shimmering ceramic tiles — the LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton-owned Spanish luxury brand has teamed on a city takeover with Hello, a Chinese bike-sharing company backed by the Alibaba-linked Ant Group.
A series of customized golden bikes, which bear prominent Loewe logos redrawn in calligraphy strokes, will appear at key locations, including its Kerry Centre store, and be dispersed around the city by its users.
More from WWD
The collaboration went live last weekend and will last until March 6. On the Hello app, users can sign up for a slot to unlock a bike at the new store and enter a three-kilometer-long biking challenge to redeem a limited-edition Loewe publication and a beverage at the store.
More than 14,000 users had signed up for the challenge at the time of publication, and the hashtag “Loewe Golden Bike” has received more than 578,000 mentions on Xiaohongshu, the popular Chinese social commerce platform.
In “Seen This Bike?” — the Loewe broadsheet that blends the Spanish luxury brand’s love for art, craft and heritage with local Shanghainese culture — a Shanghai City Guide, curated by Loewe and Hello gives users an up-to-date guide on Shanghai travel destinations. Travel advice also highlights “Spain In Shanghai,” which listed items such as the Shanghai branch of the Cervantes Institute, a nonprofit organization; Sunke Villa, a historical building that marries Spanish and Baroque styles, and several authentic tapas bars, including Tres Perros and Casa Baja.
The rest of the branded newspaper includes an introduction to the store’s “gold cube” store design, a catalog of artworks featured in the store, and a personal essay penned by the Shanghainese art critic Btr, reflecting on the history of Shanghai’s bike culture and its evolution from a transportation essential to a trendy lifestyle, and, last but not least, a crossword puzzle.
Loewe joins the likes of Prada, Louis Vuitton, and more luxury brands as they continue to tap into local culture to strengthen their ties with younger consumers, who can help drive word-of-mouth engagement on Chinese social media platforms.
In 2021, Prada refurbished a Shanghai wet market to promote its fall 2021 campaign “Feels Like Prada.” In 2023, Louis Vuitton partnered with a trio of cafes in downtown Shanghai to promote its travel book series.
Best of WWD
Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost’s Red Carpet Couple Style Through the Years: Photos
Black-owned Makeup, Skin Care and Hair Brands to Support This Month and Always
Sign up for WWD's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
