Chagee vs. Dior: The Blue-and-White Design Drama

Inside the Branding Genius of a Viral Tea Brand

Viral Yunnan tea brand Chagee is steeped in success (pun intended). You’ve probably seen it: clean, elegant storefronts filled with young people snapping pics of their drinks, decked out in distinctive blue-and-white packaging. But Chagee’s cult following isn’t just thanks to its fresh-brewed tea leaves and silky milk blends; it’s also about the merch. Think branded notebooks, tote bags, tissue packs, and reusable cups, all featuring one eye-catching motif: a blue-and-white graphic that exudes porcelain chic.

But this signature look doesn’t just draw from traditional Chinese porcelain. It also bears a striking resemblance to Dior’s famed Toile de Jouy pattern, specifically from their ultra-trendy Book Tote line. Which raises the question: Did Chagee copy Dior? Or is this a savvy example of cross-cultural creative remixing?

Let’s dive into the centuries-old design rabbit hole behind that blue-and-white print, and see what it tells us about cultural exchange, branding brilliance, and the modern marketing tug-of-war between homage and imitation.

Toile de Jouy: A Design Born from Cultural Exchange

Before we judge whether Chagee borrowed or broke the rules, we must understand what it’s riffing on: Toile de Jouy, that dreamy, pastoral fabric pattern that has long graced everything from grandma’s curtains to haute couture.

Despite being widely associated with French luxury, toile traces back to East Asia. According to the William Morris Wallpaper guide, the style was “inspired by the intricate designs found on Chinese porcelain.” Blue-on-white brushstroke scenery, intricate florals, and storytelling through ornamentation are all elements lifted from centuries of Chinese ceramics.

Design site MyDomaine confirms that toile, as we know it, first gained traction in mid-18th-century France when “designers drew inspiration from nature-themed Chinese porcelain.” What began as a decorative import evolved into a symbol of French refinement, particularly in the village of Jouy-en-Josas near Versailles, where the pattern was mass-printed onto fabric.

So, in a twist worthy of a tea-drama, the style Chagee is allegedly borrowing from Dior… was already borrowing from China.

Toile de Jouy

Chinese porcelain

Dior’s Reinvention of a Hybrid Motif

Fast forward a couple of hundred years, Dior revives this Franco-Chinoiserie look for the Instagram age.