Luxury Brands in New Markets - China

In a recent surve from Time.com, they have looked at the presence and consumption of luxury brands in new markets, such as China. We all know that China boasts a population of over 1 billion people. Behind these statistics grows a strong consumer group who are craving for the same luxury that we have enjoyed here in the "West". According to the survey, the most recognised luxury brands are:

Rolex: 76%

Lacoste: 72%

Valentino: 71%

Chanel: 66%

Dior: 55%

I wonder what these luxury hungry consumers would think when these exclusive brands are being manufactured in their own back yard in Chinese factories?

When does a luxury brand become mainstream?

Read an interesting article about how luxury brands are at risk of becoming mainstream because of their overexposure on the market. This is an interesting thought as we see more and more brands like Chanel, Gucci, Rolex, Armani, Lacoste (see my previous blog post about Lacoste: http://360view-molsson.blogspot.com/2007/07/lacoste-just-doesnt-get-internet.html) etc. opening stores all over the world. Has easy access internet devalued the luxuriousness of these brands' value? Where do these brands cross the line of exclusivity to mainstream? If a top proportion of Chinese consumers (with a population of 1 billion) want to by a Rolex, how many Rolex stores should be accessible in China to meet this demand? I plan investigate further this concept of the "devaluation of luxury brands". I would love to interview the brand managers of these top brands. Any thoughts from my readers are welcome!