London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Wednesday, Oct 22, 2025

The definition of a successful Chinese woman? It’s wealth, not marriage

“Hide your bag if it’s not a Hermès.”: A recent study from research firm Bernstein has analysed how Chinese television shows have impacted female consumers in the country – it’s changing what it means to be a successful woman.

In Nothing but Thirty, one of the main characters was cropped from a picture for carrying a Chanel bag. A recent study has analysed how Chinese television shows have impacted female consumers in the country.

“Hide your bag if it’s not a Hermès.”

In a now classic scene in Chinese television series Nothing but Thirty, one of the main characters was cropped out of a group picture with a group of wealthy housewives at a social event. The reason? She was carrying a Chanel 2.55 flap bag, which costs around €4,000 (US$4,800), while the others came with Hermès Birkin or Kelly bags, which start at €10,000.

The character eventually won approval from the ladies, and subsequent business opportunities, after she bought a blue ostrich leather Birkin.

After that pivotal moment in the show went viral last year, it started a discussion on social media about people’s perceptions of Chanel and Hermès, long considered the two most prestigious luxury fashion and accessories brands.

A recent study by research firm Bernstein analysed how Chinese television shows have impacted female consumers in the country.

As one of the world’s fastest-growing economies, China has experienced an unprecedented rise in prosperity during the past 40 years. “Chinese television series have evolved as a mirror of society, moving wealth and money to a centre stage position,” the study finds.

According to the report, the country has seen a rise in female consumers. Women started to dominate the market in 2018, accounting for 71 per cent of luxury consumption, with women aged 26-35 seen as the core group in the luxury market.

The researchers say this stems from the high proportion of women in the workforce in China. Their purchasing power has increased as they have received higher education and higher income. They are willing to spend money to reward themselves for hard work and personal accomplishment.

“[The luxury brands] serve the function of supporting people’s identity. Consumers buy luxury products because they feel they are elevating themselves by owning something which is special, exclusive and desirable,” the study says.


According to the report, China has seen a rise of female consumers.


Bernstein mentions that audiences not only look up to television role models for fashion advice, they also draw attitudes to their career and life from them.

Researchers have observed that television dramas in recent years have become more focused on wealth or materialism as the country has seen a switch in the definition of a successful woman– from “marrying well” to “be the architect of your own success”.

“Many of the female role models in Chinese television series in recent years have something in common: they are young, beautiful, well-educated and financially independent,” the researchers write.


Researchers believe consumption is a way for Chinese women to relieve their stress and anxiety.


A classic example of a role model would be a single woman who owns property as she has accumulated wealth through her well-paid job in the business field. She wears fashionable clothes from luxury brands and leads a westernised lifestyle as a gym-goer and salad lover.

Researchers believe that Chinese women face tremendous pressure as they try to meet society’s expectations of a successful woman. Elegance, beauty, marrying well and building a happy family must come together with a thriving professional life and career, making consumption a way for them to relieve their stress and anxiety.

The study also suggests that experiences, as opposed to material goods, are becoming more important. Activities including diving, skydiving and skiing are becoming increasingly popular.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Administration Under President Donald Trump Reportedly Lifts Ban on Ukraine’s Use of Storm Shadow Missiles Against Russia
‘Frightening’ First Night in Prison for Sarkozy: Inmates Riot and Shout ‘Little Nicolas’
White House Announces No Imminent Summit Between Trump and Putin
US and Qatar Warn EU of Trade and Energy Risks from Tough Climate Regulation
Apple Challenges EU Digital Markets Act Crackdown in Landmark Court Battle
Nicolas Sarkozy begins five-year prison term at La Santé in Paris
Japan stocks surge to record as Sanae Takaichi becomes Prime Minister
This Is How the 'Heist of the Century' Was Carried Out at the Louvre in Seven Minutes: France Humiliated as Crown with 2,000 Diamonds Vanishes
China Warns UK of ‘Consequences’ After Delay to London Embassy Approval
France’s Wealthy Shift Billions to Luxembourg and Switzerland Amid Tax and Political Turmoil
"Sniper Position": Observation Post Targeting 'Air Force One' Found Before Trump’s Arrival in Florida
Shouting Match at the White House: 'Trump Cursed, Threw Maps, and Told Zelensky – "Putin Will Destroy You"'
Windows’ Own ‘Siri’ Has Arrived: You Can Now Talk to Your Computer
Thailand and Singapore Investigate Cambodian-Based Prince Group as U.S. and U.K. Sanctions Unfold
‘No Kings’ Protests Inflate Numbers — But History Shows Nations Collapse Without Strong Executive Power
Chinese Tech Giants Halt Stablecoin Launches After Beijing’s Regulatory Intervention
Manhattan Jury Holds BNP Paribas Liable for Enabling Sudanese Government Abuses
Trump Orders Immediate Release of Former Congressman George Santos After Commuting Prison Sentence
S&P Downgrades France’s Credit Rating, Citing Soaring Debt and Political Instability
Ofcom Rules BBC’s Gaza Documentary ‘Materially Misleading’ Over Narrator’s Hamas Ties
Diane Keaton’s Cause of Death Revealed as Pneumonia, Family Confirms
Former Lostprophets Frontman Ian Watkins Stabbed to Death in British Prison
"The Tsunami Is Coming, and It’s Massive": The World’s Richest Man Unveils a New AI Vision
Outsider, Heroine, Trailblazer: Diane Keaton Was Always a Little Strange — and Forever One of a Kind
Dramatic Development in the Death of 'Mango' Founder: Billionaire's Son Suspected of Murder
Two Years of Darkness: The Harrowing Testimonies of Israeli Hostages Emerging From Gaza Captivity
EU Moves to Use Frozen Russian Assets to Buy U.S. Weapons for Ukraine
Europe Emerges as the Biggest Casualty in U.S.-China Rare Earth Rivalry
HSBC Confronts Strategic Crossroads as NAB Seeks Only Retail Arm in Australia Exit
U.S. Chamber Sues Trump Over $100,000 H-1B Visa Fee
Shenzhen Expo Spotlights China’s Quantum Step in Semiconductor Self-Reliance
China Accelerates to the Forefront in Global Nuclear Fusion Race
Yachts, Private Jets, and a Picasso Painting: Exposed as 'One of the Largest Frauds in History'
Australia’s Wedgetail Spies Aid NATO Response as Russian MiGs Breach Estonian Airspace
McGowan Urges Chalmers to Cut Spending Over Tax Hike to Close $20 Billion Budget Gap
Victoria Orders Review of Transgender Prison Placement Amid Safety Concerns for Female Inmates
U.S. Treasury Mobilises New $20 Billion Debt Facility to Stabilise Argentina
French Business Leaders Decry Budget as Macron’s Pro-Enterprise Promise Undermined
Trump Claims Modi Pledged India Would End Russian Oil Imports Amid U.S. Tariff Pressure
Surging AI Startup Valuations Fuel Bubble Concerns Among Top Investors
Australian Punter Archie Wilson Tears Up During Nebraska Press Conference, Sparking Conversation on Male Vulnerability
Australia Confirms U.S. Access to Upgraded Submarine Shipyard Under AUKUS Deal
“Firepower” Promised for Ukraine as NATO Ministers Meet — But U.S. Tomahawks Remain Undecided
Brands Confront New Dilemma as Extremists Adopt Fashion Labels
The Sydney Sweeney and Jeans Storm: “The Outcome Surpassed Our Wildest Dreams”
Erika Kirk Delivers Moving Tribute at White House as Trump Awards Charlie Presidential Medal of Freedom
British Food Influencer ‘Big John’ Detained in Australia After Visa Dispute
ScamBodia: The Chinese Fraud Empire Shielded by Cambodia’s Ruling Elite
French PM Suspends Macron’s Pension Reform Until After 2027 in Bid to Stabilize Government
Orange, Bouygues and Free Make €17 Billion Bid for Drahi’s Altice France Telecom Assets
×