Chinese consumers are buying up luxury goods both domestically and abroad at an unprecedented rate, and there seems to be no limit to the growth in their luxury purchases. But the question remains – why do they buy?

Luxury brands have enjoyed a meteoric rise amongst the expanding Chinese middle class, but with anti-corruption laws dampening the spirits of conspicuous consumers, shopping habits are shifting dramatically.

Chinese wine used to be poor quality, made for export, and marked-up at inflated prices. But now it's the biggest market for red wine, with Chinese people buying 1.86 billion bottles in 2013. How did Jiuxian create wine connoisseurs and become China’s largest alcohol e-tailer?

Is tea still the most popular drink in China? And do logo-centric brands still dominate luxury? In our 2014 / 15 cultural snapshot of China, we demystify cultural myths, shed light on the country’s economic outlook, and explore the emerging and established trends across eleven sectors.