Tao Liang is a blogger, best known as Mr. Bags to his more than 10 million social media followers.
Liang was China’s third most influential fashion blogger in 2017, according to BNP Paribas 2017 rankings. Blogging across Weibo and WeChat, Liang’s encyclopaedic knowledge of fashion and the luxury handbag market has made him a go-to source among China’s burgeoning affluent consumer groups for in-depth trend analysis and advice that engages his audience.
He first started out sharing his passion for bags online, he didn’t realise that blogging, rather than banking, could actually be a money-making business. In 2012, the alumnus of both the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and Columbia University started his Weibo account, Mr. Bags; today he’s garnered almost 6.6 million Weibo followers and countless fans on his WeChat account, and has been tapped by luxury brands such as Dior, Fendi, Chloé and Tod’s for collaborations.
His influence has led to collaborations with Givenchy, Burberry, Fendi, Chloé and Louis Vuitton, among others. Mr. Bags connects European labels looking to make a dent in the Chinese market with his legions of followers — known collectively as his “bagfans.”
In 2017, Liang worked with Givenchy to create a capsule collection for Valentine’s Day. Selling solely through WeChat to his followers, all 80 pieces of the collaboration sold in 12 minutes.
In 2018, Tao launched a mini-program on WeChat called the BaoShop, dedicated to designer collaborations and offering products exclusively to his WeChat followers. The first Baoshop project is a collaboration with Tod’s which he has designed with Tod’s, a special collection of Wave bags, and the 80 bags were sold out in just five minutes.
Liang was named in Forbes China's 30 Under 30 List and Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 List. Mr. Bags is an example of a Chinese niche influencer (KOL: key opinion leader). Chinese trust and look to influencers to provide reliable and authentic information a lot more than in other countries due to a variety of factors.
