More than 100 international brands, including Alo, VEJA, Eight Sleep, Mardi Mercredi, LOW CLASSIC and Helen Kaminski, have entered China through an official Tmall store before opening a broad physical network. The e-commerce-first route gives brands official identity, national reach, consumer data and a lower-risk way to test demand. For international brands, the new China entry sequence is often online first, then offline based on evidence.

Alo, NikeSKIMS, Norrona, Soar, Sweaty Betty, Dymatize, Applied Nutrition and other international sports, outdoor and wellness brands are entering or expanding in China. Unlike the mass-market expansion of a decade ago, this new wave is more premium, vertical, community-led and data-driven. For international brands, China remains a major opportunity, but success depends on sequencing: community first, e-commerce validation, localized content and carefully chosen offline experiences.