From fashion to lifestyle and F&B, a new wave of innovative and dynamic brands is making waves with their unique offerings in Asia, where global players continue to see demand alongside the rise of homegrown brands.
Here, Samy Redjeb, managing director for Greater China at the Bluebell Group, shares rising brands and up-and-coming labels that are capturing attention in Asia. The brands featured on this list have been selected due to their growth potential in Asia, including recent additions to stockists, physical presence, and social media activity.
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Polène
Polène is a French brand that is fast growing in popularity thanks to its signature minimalist leather pieces, such as the Numero Un bag. Its other best-selling bags such as the Numero Sept Mini and Numero Neuf have also achieved cult status, gaining traction among a number of celebrities and fashion influencers recently, including Kate Middleton and Lily Collins (of Emily in Paris fame).
Positioned in the affordable luxury segment, it offers premium quality bags made with leather sourced from European tanneries. While its products are available at more accessible price points compared to traditional luxury brands, Polène’s storytelling emphasises craftsmanship and quality, in similar fashion as the likes of Bottega Veneta or Loewe. Polène opened its first store in Asia in Tokyo in September 2023 and distribution is direct-to-consumer via its official website and flagship stores.
Country: France
Website: polene-paris.com
Instagram: @polene_paris
Soeur
Founded in 2006 by Domitille and Angélique Brion, Sœur’s hero products range from tailored blazers and dresses, to statement tops and accessories, all in quintessential French style. They focus on classic, versatile staples made well and that is increasingly resonating with many consumers. Sœur’s sales have soared from under EUR20 million before to EUR40 million by 2021. In 2023 the brand launched successful collaborations with French outerwear brand K-Way, as well as with fashion influencer Leandra Medine Cohen, which gave Soeur greater visibility in the US.
Style Capital, a Milan private equity fund, recently entered into an investment agreement to secure a controlling interest in the brand. Soeur already has some presence in Asia through multi-brand stores, and is expected to push for further international expansion in the coming years.
Country: France
Website: soeur.fr
Instagram: @soeurparis
Autry
Founded in the United States in the 1980s, Autry has made a comeback after being acquired by the Made in Italy investment fund, among other backers, in 2021. Targeting men and women, it has a rich heritage in athletic footwear, paying homage to vintage sports styles while incorporating modern comfort and durability.
Those on the lookout for the next ‘It’ sneaker should keep an eye out for Autry’s new launch: the Reelwind, which is a stylish modernisation of running shoes that were all the rage in the 1980s. The sneaker, featuring a sleek combination of suede and nylon for its upper and an ultralight Phylon rubber sole, is part of its spring 2024 lineup and launched with a pop-up in London. Autry’s hero products include their signature low-top and high-top sneakers, which showcase a fusion of vintage sportswear aesthetics and modern street style. Its shoes have been sported by numerous celebrities lately as well, such as Blackpink’s Rose.
Country: USA
Website: autry-usa.com
Instagram: @autryglobal
Alo Yoga
Athleisure is a growing segment in Asia and we can soon expect another international brand to make waves across the region: Alo, which specialises in yoga-inspired activewear and other wellness and lifestyle products. Founded in Los Angeles in 2007, the brand already has a robust presence online as well as through various retailers in Asia. It’s perhaps not yet as ubiquitous in the region as other sportswear market leaders, but it is frequently worn by celebrities including Taylor Swift, Hailey Beiber, Kaia Gerber, and Kendall Jenner.
More than products, Alo sells a lifestyle: some of its stores in the US feature yoga classes and wellness drink bars. The brand is also quite tech-minded, launching initiatives such as exclusive NFTs and the ‘Alo Sanctuary’ metaverse experience to appeal to Gen Z consumers.
Alo just opened its first store in Asia in December 2023, in Bangkok’s EmQuartier mall, and more stores are sure to come. The brand’s focus on sustainability and eco-friendly practices is likely to resonate with conscious consumers, especially in Asia, where wellness is increasingly embraced.
Country: USA
Website: aloyoga.com
Instagram: @alo
Topologie
Established by Carlos Granon and Go Urano in 2018, Topologie is a distinctive accessories brand that is gaining recognition for its innovative, minimalist designs. Carlos Granon is an outdoor mountain climber enthusiast and that shows in Topologie’s urban-style products, which often feature clean lines, durable and weatherproof materials, and fun colours. Topologie has quickly become a go-to brand for those seeking unique and functional accessories such as phone cases, and phone cords, functional cross body bags which are now being spotted everywhere. The brand tapped a gap in the market for cool addition and personalisation of your smartphone which is under exploited by Apple or Samsung.
Topologie has a physical presence in Tokyo, Hong Kong, Taipei, and other Asian markets – but it is also quickly expanding to Europe, particularly in France and the Netherlands.
Country: Hong Kong & Japan
Website: hk.topologie.com
Instagram: @topologie.official, @topologie.jp
Sol de Janeiro
Inspired by Brazilian culture, Sol de Janeiro was acquired by L’Occitane Group in 2021, and since then it has benefited from L’Occitane’s extensive distribution network. Breaking through with its popular ‘Bum Bum Cream,’ which is said to be sold every 14 seconds, there is plenty of excitement around Sol de Janeiro in the US and in Europe, especially around its body care and fragrance products.
Sol de Janeiro has been working tirelessly for the past eight years to bring the spirit of Brazilian positive vibe to shoppers across the globe.
The result is a business that is now dominating the body care beauty space, with the brand recently reporting sales of EUR270m in its half-year 2024 results. This is a staggering 188.8 percent increase in just 12 months and more than its total annual sales in 2023.
L’Occitane group is equally benefiting from the Brazilian skin care darling’s success – as it helps to offset its parent companies’ more mixed performing brands.
It’s available at Sephora in Asia at the moment, but with its initiatives in APAC travel retail, it’s only a matter of time before Sol de Janeiro becomes a hit across the region.
Country: USA
Website: soldejaneiro.com
Instagram: @soldejaneiro
Bakehouse
Bakehouse has been very popular with local and tourists visiting Hong Kong for a number of years now, commanding queues outside its stores regularly for its sourdough egg tarts and range of breads. This artisan bakery is founded by Gregoire Michaud, a French chef in Hong Kong, and sources high-quality ingredients to create bread, pastries, and viennoiseries offered at a premium price range.
As of today Bakehouse have sold over 8 million egg tarts and built a team of over 200 employees focusing on service and quality.
In the last few years the bakery has also expanded extensively across Hong Kong, now with branches in Tsim Sha Tsui, Causeway Bay, Central, and Stanley – and I would not be surprised to see the brand expand outside of Hong Kong soon.
Country: Hong Kong
Website: bakehouse.hk
Instagram: @bakehousehk
Alice Pizza
Alice Pizza has become synonymous with authentic Roman-style pizza since its founding in 1989, and is consistently named one of the top pizzerias in Italy. It has embraced a franchise model for growth, and from its first overseas outlet in the US, Alice Pizza now numbers over 200 pizzerias all over the world.
In 2023 Alice Pizza expanded to Asia for the first time in partnership with the Bluebell Group, opening the first store in Wan Chai, Hong Kong which serves dine-in, takeaway and delivery of over two dozen toppings. The pizzeria brings a range of signature flavours not typically found in Hong Kong, from classics to Italian favourites and the indulgent Nutella, great for capping off a meal.
Offering freshly baked ‘al taglio’ pizza cut according to a customer’s preferred size and quantity, and purchased per gram or kilo, Alice Pizza is a very good fit for urban cities in Asia, as it does not compromise on taste nor convenience.
Country: Italy
Website: alicepizza.it
Instagram: @alicepizzahk
About the author
Samy Redjeb is currently Greater China Managing Director, Bluebell Group, and Director of Owndays HK and Brunello Cucinelli Taiwan JVs.
Prior to his position as MD, he was the Group Development Director at Bluebell. In this role he profiled and identified brands to set up distribution partnerships ranking from startups to mega brands in various categories in Asia.
He was instrumental in setting up new partnerships with brands such as Manolo Blahnik, Kusmi Tea, Daniel Wellington, Brunello Cucinelli, Owndays, Venchi, and more recently Acne Studios, Rains and Alice Pizza. His expertise covers multi-channel distribution, branding, equity investment, leasing.
Retail in Asia is part of the Bluebell Group.