Retail / news
Elon Musk's son sparks surge in Chinese heritage bag sales, highlighting US$14.8b e-commerce sector
A tiger-head bag worn by Elon Musk’s son has gone viral in China, driving sales for traditional artisan brand Yestee and underscoring the rapid growth of the country’s intangible heritage e-commerce market, valued at US$14.8 billion.
The online frenzy began in May when Musk's six-year-old son Little X was photographed in a Chinese-style silk jacket carrying a tiger-head bag during a trip to China with US President Donald Trump. The moment turned a spotlight on Yestee (Ya Xiaoqi) Handmade, the Guilin-based producer of the bag.
According to He Jiliang, a partner at Yestee, more than 7,000 units of the bag, priced at 398 yuan (about US$55) each, have been sold since the viral moment. The success has boosted sales of other items such as hats and mobile phone bags.
Each bag requires a week to produce due to complex techniques and extensive handwork. Yestee has operated an online store on Alibaba's Taobao platform for 19 years, and the recent surge has introduced the brand to a wider consumer base.
The company aims to transform traditional cultural icons like lion dances, dragon dances, tiger heads, and Peking Opera into products that appeal to young people for daily use and sharing. The trend reflects a broader shift in China, where intangible heritage crafts are evolving from handmade nostalgia into a thriving online industry driven by young artisans and buyers.