In 2012, Chinese consumers bought 25 percent of the world's luxury products, with the overseas luxury consumption maintaining a 31 percent rise, according to Bain & Co, a consultancy company based in the United States.

"Chinese consumption supports the world's luxury market, especially the high-end watches, and that is why international brands are paying more attention to Chinese elements," said Zhou Ting, director of the Fortune Character Research Center.

International luxury brands have already seen the benefits of using Chinese elements, she added.

Last year - the Year of the Dragon in China - Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd, the luxury British car producer, launched a dragon edition of the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The limited-edition cars were sold out within two months.

Some brands, which already have collections featuring snake motifs, promoted these collections to Chinese consumers who want mascots for the Lunar New Year.

Italian jewelry brand Bulgari has taken previous collections featuring snakes and displayed them prominently in its Beijing stores, such as its 2010 collection of jewelry and watches named Serpenti, meaning "snake" in Italian. The brand has used snakes in its products since the 1940s and snakes have been a major symbol for the brand ever since its first watch featuring snakes became popular.

The snake is a popular animal to be invoked in jewelry because of its various shapes, some designers said.

"As opposed to previous years, king cobras are popular this year, for their distinctive shape with strong visual impact," said Zhao Shuai, chief designer of Hong Kong Kaifu Jewelry International Group Co Ltd.

Zhao said the push by international brands to appeal to the Chinese market could be of benefit to local luxury houses.

"Led by the international luxury brands, it is possible for Chinese designers to work out better designs," Zhao said, "After all, Chinese designers know more about Chinese culture."

Contact the writer at wangwen@chinadaily.com.cn

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