A strange pattern is emerging in China.

Some of the world's most recognizable brands are changing hands. Others are being rebuilt. Some are finding new life after years of stagnation. 

And increasingly, success seems to have less to do with the brand itself and more to do with who is operating it.

This week's China Pulse examines three developments that, on the surface, seem unrelated. 

• Authentic Brands Group just bought Lee for $1 billion, adding another iconic name to a growing portfolio of brands being repositioned for a new era.

• Givenchy generated massive attention with a 3 RMB breakfast pop-up in Shanghai, sparking a debate about where the line between luxury and cultural relevance actually sits.

• Clarks, a 200-year-old British footwear brand that nearly collapsed a few years ago, is opening 50 new stores in China after being rescued by capital tied to the Li Ning family.

Together, these stories point to a shift that many Western executives still haven't fully recognized.

The most important brand battle in China isn't happening in stores.

It's happening behind the scenes.