Until the ’80s the notion of romance didn’t really exist in China. But now, Roseonly, a luxury florist, is not simply selling roses to lovers but insisting that its customers define themselves as soulmates. How did schmalz become so popular in a country with a flourishing mistress culture and creeping divorce rate?

Asia's growing economies are creating new opportunities, but how equal are they? How are labels used to categorise professional Asian women, and how can brands communicate with this powerful consumer demographic in a meaningful and relevant way?

For the last decade, Chinese magazines, sites and government bodies have been labelling unmarried women over 27 as sheng nu –‘leftover women’ – in a bid to counter a social trend seen as destabilising society. But who are these leftover women? And why should brands be paying attention to them?

“I give my thanks to China’s women,” says Alibaba chairman Jack Ma after a particularly profitable stint of online sales. “Women have much more consideration for others than men.” Yet studies have shown that China’s housewives are far more selfish online shoppers than Ma would believe.