LVMH Moët Hennessy – Louis Vuitton is the world’s largest luxury conglomerate, with over 75 prestigious houses, more than 5,600 stores globally, and revenues exceeding €86 billion in 2023. Founded by Bernard Arnault in 1987, the group employs over 213,000 people across more than 60 countries. China remains one of its most strategic markets, and LVMH has consistently positioned itself as a pioneer in the country’s fast-moving luxury and beauty sector. For an overview of where the market is heading, see 10 Key Trends of the Chinese Cosmetics Market.
LVMH Adapts to the China Market
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One of LVMH’s boldest moves in China was the launch of Cha Ling, a skincare brand built around the philosophy of forest tea. The label was created by Guerlain CEO Laurent Boilot after years of research in Yunnan’s Xishuangbanna prefecture. With a Chinese name meaning “spirit of tea,” the brand offers a range of skin and face care products infused with high-grade pure tea grown in the forests of Xishuangbanna. By 2026, the brand has expanded its presence significantly across mainland China, riding the wave of consumer interest in clean beauty and botanical ingredients.
The brand combines a focus on the antioxidant and anti-aging properties of tea with an emphasis on forest preservation in Yunnan, where natural forest coverage fell below 50 percent by 2003 as environmental protection took a backseat to commercial interests. Boilot has described the venture as serving both revenue and ecology: “everything we do is not only about building the business, but also to give back to nature.” This message resonates strongly with the post-90s and post-00s Chinese consumers who increasingly prioritize sustainable and ethical beauty. Working with a WeChat Agency for Beauty Brands that understands these values is now essential for brands entering this segment.
The path to Cha Ling’s creation started when Boilot visited Yunnan for the first time to research orchid varieties for Guerlain products. While in Xishuangbanna, he met a German biologist and conservationist named Josef Margrave, who had established the Tianjin Biodiversity Research and Development Centre with his wife. Following his first trip, Boilot returned several times to learn more about their project to revive the production of forest tea. The couple received China’s “Green Hero” award in 2007. Josef passed away in 2010, but Li-Margrave carried on, later receiving the Charming China Award and the Forest China Chinese Ecological Hero award for her efforts.
LVMH Invests in Chinese Cosmetics Brands
Cha Ling is part of a broader trend of major European luxury groups backing Chinese-rooted beauty brands. It follows in the footsteps of Hermès’ fashion and lifestyle label Shang Xia and Kering’s jewelry brand Qeelin. The brand also represents LVMH’s clearest push into Chinese-branded beauty. In 2013, the group’s Asian private equity fund L Capital Asia invested in Chinese cosmetics brand Marubi. By 2025-2026, LVMH has deepened its China investments further, with several of its beauty houses reporting double-digit growth on platforms like Tmall and Douyin.
Like Hermès-backed Shang Xia, Cha Ling emphasizes its blend of Chinese and French heritage. Ingredients are sourced in China while formulations are produced in Guerlain’s lab in France, with Guerlain acting as an incubator for the label. Cha Ling opened its first retail corner at Le Bon Marché in Paris, followed by a Hong Kong boutique, and has since grown its mainland China presence through both physical boutiques and digital channels. Brands like Clarins and Sisley have followed a similar hybrid approach, investing in local digital channels while maintaining their French premium identity.
LVMH Aims to Attract International and Chinese Consumers
