SHANGHAI — In China‘s competitive social media landscape, a recent crop of influencers is quickly capturing the eye of picky Chinese netizens. 

They might not hold as much sway as “Lipstick King” Austin Li, but their rise to fame only took one successful livestreaming session or two.

On Xiaohongshu, China’s answer to Instagram, socialite Teresa Cheung and seasoned actress Dong Jie quickly found their second act as livestreaming stars. On Douyin, the Chinese version of TikTok, former contemporary dancer Jin Xing and “Crazy Wealthy Asian” Hongquanxing Wang proceed to achieve followers as funny online personalities.

To higher understand China’s ever-changing social media scene, WWD takes a have a look at eight influencers on Douyin and Xiaohongshu who’re generating hype.

Teresa Cheung

Xiaohongshu: 1.04 million

Douyin: 700,000

Born in Hong Kong to Shanghainese parents, Teresa Cheung was destined to be an influencer: She began shopping at Lane Crawford at 4, and started wearing Chanel as a teen. Cheung went on to check abroad at FIT, which she later recounted in her popular newspaper column: “I didn’t even should study at college. I just read WWD.” In 2018, the 55-year-old Cheung launched a WeChat Official account documenting her lifestyle and quickly amassed a big following. Last week, Cheung’s first Xiaohongshu livestream, which lasted almost six hours, garnered nearly 1 million views, with GMV topping the 50 million renminbi, or $7 million, mark. 

Famous for her wavy luscious mane, Cheung was most successful in selling high-end hair care products from brands reminiscent of My Organics and Gotukola. 

Her “Rose Is a Rose” beauty box series, which features brands reminiscent of 111Skin, Malin+Goetz, Augustinus Bader and Evidens de Beauté, also quickly sold out in the course of the livestream. Cheung’s next livestream will go continue to exist June 18, coinciding with the 6.18 shopping festival, one in every of China’s most vital online shopping bonanzas.

Dong Jie

Xiaohongshu: 2.51 million

The Chinese actress Dong Jie became one in every of the primary Chinese celebrities to launch a livestreaming channel on Xiaohongshu last January. 

After being discovered by Chinese director Zhang Yimou within the 2000s, Dong’s profession was in full swing until a cheating scandal 10 years ago. Dong tried to revive her profession in 2021 by participating in the favored reality show “Sisters Who Make Waves,” but her real break got here unexpectedly when Xiaohongshu approached the 43-year-old Dong last October and asked her to turn out to be a livestreaming anchor on the social-commerce platform. 

Dong quickly became known for her serene and zen livestreaming approach, along together with her minimal and relaxed style. Dong also got here to be generally known as a champion of Chinese designers on her platform, quickly selling out pricy items from Ms Min, Uma Wang, Märchen, Swaying, Jacque Wei and Soft Mountains. 

Dong’s eight-hour-long livestream on May 25, which was themed “Love Life,” gained greater than 2.2 million views. In keeping with Xiaohongshu, Dong’s April livestream reached 60 million renminbi, or almost $850,000, in GMV.

Jingchu Zhang

Xiaohongshu: 1.01 million

Douyin: 640,000

Jingchu Zhang is a Chinese actress known for her roles in “Rush Hour 3,” “Protege” and “Peacock,” which won the Silver Bear on the 2005 Berlin International Film Festival. After becoming a victim of a cyberbullying scheme greater than years ago, Zhang disappeared from the general public eye. Last 12 months, Zhang gained popularity online for documenting her healthy post-COVID-19 lifestyle.

Referring to herself as “sister,” the 43-year-old Zhang is thought for her candid livestreaming style, where she routinely shares her experience learning English and workout sessions. Zhang’s first e-commerce livestream in May, which promoted self-help books, workout gear and healthy snacks, lasted seven-plus hours, attracted greater than 800,000 million viewers and sold over 10,000 items. 

Tianzhen Yang

Xiaohongshu: 3 million

Douyin: 4.2 million

Tianzhen Yang, who started off as Fan Bingbing‘s assistant and later became a star agent, decided to step into the limelight herself in recent times. She quickly gained popularity as an outspoken reality star and livestreaming host in 2019. Riding the wave of a burgeoning e-commerce economy, Yang launched a livestreaming agency 4 years ago, creating successful social media accounts for celebrities reminiscent of Dong Jie and Ouyang Nana. Yang can be known for her plus-size fashion collection Plusmall. 

Calling herself “the most effective celebrity agent in China,” Yang brands herself as a successful businesswoman who offers useful social tricks and communication advice. Yang launched her first livestreaming session on Xiaohongshu in April to advertise products reminiscent of scented candles and feminist titles. The five-hour-long livestream received greater than 480,000 views on the platform.

Jin Xing

Douyin: 172.5 million

Jin Xing, a noted Chinese contemporary dancer, talk show host and actress, who’s also widely generally known as China’s first transgender celebrity, initially launched her livestreaming profession on Taobao three years ago before jumping ship to Douyin last 12 months. 

Known for her feisty personality, Jin confessed that she began livestreaming to support her contemporary dance company while promoting her June livestream. Jin’s 6.18 livestream will feature high-end skincare brands reminiscent of Helena Rubinstein, SK-II and La Mer. 

Sida Jiang

Xiaohongshu: 297,000

Douyin: 166,000

Sida Jiang leaped to fame as a contestant on the truth series “U Can U Bibi”; he can be one in every of the few openly gay Chinese public figures. After leaving the truth show, Jiang became the host of the web talk show series “DV Project,” known for its confessional interviews with Chinese celebrities and personalities.

Jiang’s first foray into Xiaohongshu livestreaming got here last Singles’ Day, when he topped the platform’s livestreaming chart inside six hours, selling greater than 8,000 items with a median unit price of greater than 877 renminbi, or $124. Arc’tyrex, Salomon, Lemaire, Diptyque and Le Labo are a number of the popular items featured on Jiang’s “Goddess Supermarket”-themed livestream.

Zhu Lan

Xiaohongshu: 280,000

Douyin: 639,000 

Founded by Zhu Lan, a designer and Dong Hua University guest lecturer with greater than 20 years of experience in bridal design, the Douyin account “Lan Yi made-to-order fashion” is thought for its quick takes on celebrity style. Zhu used her petit-mains know-how to elucidate technical details of elaborate garments, particularly how runway samples are tweaked to suit a star’s personal needs. 

Zhu also used her online following to attract attention to her namesake fashion collection, “Lanyi made-to-order fashion.” 

Often modeling the pieces herself, the gathering draws inspiration from celebrity red carpet styles. The brand’s bestsellers are slimming corset tops priced around 500 renminbi, or $70.

Hongquanxing Wang

Xiaohongshu: 784,000

Douyin: 3.42 million

A former child star, Hongquanxing Wang reinvented himself on Douyin in 2020 as a “Crazy Wealthy Asian” whose Beijing mansion is stocked with luxury goods.

Labeling himself as a Louis Vuitton VIP, Wang is commonly seen in full-on Louis Vuitton looks and a rapper-style oversize jade pendant while having fun with exclusive VIP events and trips in China and abroad.

Wang can be a successful Douyin livestreamer who mainly sells Chinese skincare brands. In keeping with the local data agency Chanmama, Wang’s livestreaming GMV reached 50 million renminbi, or $7 million, within the last 30 days.