The Rise of Chic Brands in China

IT Store Display: Which Direction Will Niche Brands Grow in China?   This article was fist published on the Novomania Website and October Newsletter Chinese are rapidly catching onto the idea of fashion, brands and shopping as a part of their lifestyle and over recent years consumers have been drawn to the big international brands operating in either the luxury or lower-end (including fast fashion and sportswear) segment of the market. As the mid-end... Read More

China’s E-Commerce Emperor

The Alibaba Group's Portals Dominate E-Commerce in China Two weeks ago I wrote about the massive potential of e-commerce in China that Boston Consulting Group predicts will be worth more than 300 billion dollars by 2015. As numerous e-tailors fold under highly competitive market pressures and others battle it out with nasty price wars, through all of this, one company – The Alibaba Group has risen to become the undisputed leader of e-commerce... Read More

China’s Copycat Culture and Creativity

Counterfeit Luxury Brand Bags at Beijing's Silk Market While strolling around Taiyuan, an up-and-coming and coal-rich second-tier city, I was amused to find an entire street of identical looking sportswear stores. Each brands’ logo bore resemblance to Nike’s Swoosh, differentiated themselves by either being upside down, back to front or having an extra kink etc. sticking out. I never expected Taiyuan to have the fashion diversity or range... Read More

Re-positioning Ralph Lauren in China

Ralph Lauren China Chengdu Store Branding is a relatively new concept in China and the rapidly evolving market place gives many brands the opportunity and desire to reset their brand image and position. With almost no exception, all fashion and luxury brands in China try to upgrade their brand position, even if this is out of line with their home or other markets. Of all the luxury brands in China, Polo Ralph Lauren (RL) has one of the biggest challenges... Read More