Almost half the brands at Shanghai's most prestigious shopping
malls are Italian. Top-drawer designers like Alviero Martini and
Canali menswear are zeroing in on the city.
It is obvious that China has become an increasingly important
market for Italian fashion designers. Check out the most
prestigious shopping malls in Shanghai and you will find almost
half of the brands come from Italy.
To Chinese customers, "Made in Italy" itself is a most
enchanting advertisement. To the Italians, the flourishing China
market is like a virgin land, to which every one of them pays
strong attention.
"China, to us, is a very important new market -- even though
it's not that new, it's still a growing market," said Monica
Buzzoni, commercial director of the Italian fashion house Alviero
Martini, during her visit to Shanghai last week.
Alviero Martini's signature accessories featuring a unique map
motif can be found in 10 cities. It recently opened the Shanghai
flagship store on Nanjing Road W., opposite the Westgate Mall.
It's the fourth flagship store of Alviero Martini in China. The
other three are in Hong Kong, Hangzhou, and Shenyang. And it plans
to open the fifth in Beijing next year.
Buzzoni says the company chose this time to open the Shanghai
store because "we are patient. We don't push to get anything until
we get what we want. We wait until we get the best location," she
explains. "We want to develop the business in the best way.
"The fact that the store is on the street is wonderful," she
continues. "I have been walking inside the three malls across the
street, from Plaza 66 to Citic Square to Westgate Mall, and I like
the atmosphere very much. Our store is in the same area but it
offers more visibility."
The Shanghai store offers a full collection of Alviero Martini's
accessories as well as a selection of women and men's
ready-to-wear, most of it featuring the map motif.
"We have a collection that is classic and permanent, and from
time to time we introduce new materials and add new items according
to market needs," Buzzoni says. "There are also seasonal items. One
thing in common is that they all match the map motif."
The ready-to-wear are created to be recognizable, easy to wear
and most important, to last.
"Today the market is ruled by the consumers," she says. "When I
entered the industry about 25 years ago, it was the brand that
decided what was going to be fashion. Every season, we threw the
old wardrobe away and changed everything. But now things have
changed. People keep things. They want clothes to be both practical
and lasting."
According to Buzzoni, it's not the same to sell goods in Italy
as to sell them worldwide.
"Each country is different, in terms of mentality, habits and
ways of dressing," she says. "We will have to meet different market
requirements. The beginning is always hard, but I'm happy with what
we have done in China so far."
Eugenio Canali, CEO of Italy's top menswear brand Canali, also
views China as a key market. Last week, he visited China for the
first time to attend the grand opening of the Canali boutique at
Shanghai's Citic Square -- it's also the 40th Canali store on the
Chinese mainland.
"I have always been fascinated by the Chinese culture and now
here I am in Shanghai, China, finally," says Canali. "China today
represents the fifth market for turnover in the world for Canali.
We are greatly impressed by the country's booming economy and we
are confident that Canali will have a more promising future in
China."
Founded in 1934, Canali is the only top men's wear brand with
every single garment made entirely by hand and "100 percent"
produced in Italy.
After entering the China market in 2002, Canali formed a retail
network of 40 boutiques in 25 cities.
The CEO says he is glad to see Canali's fast development in
China within such a short period of time, which he attributes to
the tailoring, taste and Italian tradition of the brand.
Canali has also brought to Shanghai its 2007 spring and summer
collection. The gala fashion show was held at the Shanghai
Children's Palace, the 1920s structure that once was the residence
of the Sephardic Jewish Kadoorie family.
The show was opened by a group of professional dancers in
tailored uniforms. Almost all the sexy male models in town were on
the runway.
The collection is characterized by a sophisticated sobriety,
with summer-weight fabrics in delicate pastel shades. Materials are
refined, volumes are light, details are precious but discreet.
Suits discover the precious features of silk, they vary in style
to highlight slender profiles. The silhouette of jackets, rain
coats and waistcoats becomes more slender and nipped-in at the
waist.
The jackets have been designed both for leisure time and for
casually formal occasions. The clothes are embellished with
patches, elbow guards, precious buttons made of antique bone and
other exquisite details.
Trousers, however, are relaxed, especially in the version of
coulisse.
(Shanghai Daily November 27, 2006)