Scaling Luxury in East Asia

Scaling luxury in East Asia isn't about replication - it’s about reverence.

We recently consulted for a high-end direct-to-consumer jewelry brand expanding across China and Japan. The question wasn’t, “How do we grow?” It was, “How do we expand while preserving the quiet intimacy and cultural respect that make clients feel deeply seen and valued?”

In Japan, we infused the experience with omotenashi - unspoken, anticipatory care. Store environments were redesigned around ma (間), the intentional space between things, creating room for presence and pause. Associates were trained in haragei, the subtle art of sensing unspoken emotion - so service felt human, not scripted.

In China, the focus was deepening guanxi - relational trust built over time. We introduced ritual-based gifting journeys tied to family traditions and seasonal cycles. One memorable example: a custom jade charm engraved with a family surname, sent weeks after purchase to honor li (礼, ritual propriety) and reinforce intergenerational respect.

Digitally, we used culturally symbolic motifs, like the crane for longevity or plum blossom for resilience - not as design flourishes, but as intentional signals of meaning and connection.

Sometimes, the most powerful memories come from words and deeds that are conducted and spoken softly-- which can be a very different approach than in other cultures. This wasn’t about “CX strategy.” It was about creating emotional texture - experiences that feel rooted, respectful, and quietly unforgettable.

The result? Not just growth, but reverence - from clients who felt the brand belonged to them.

This project brought me back to the years I lived and studied in Japan and my time in China. It was a pleasure to design experiences that not only honored the cultural nuances of each market but also moved the needle on emotional connection and brand differentiation.