The Business of Fashion
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
Agenda-setting intelligence, analysis and advice for the global fashion community.
"Who's Buying J. Crew's New XXXS Clothes?" (The New Yorker)
"The triple-zero and extra-extra-extra-small clothing is not designed for the average shopper in Houston, Miami, or even Manhattan. Instead, J. Crew said that the sizes are a response to the requests of petite Asian customers, particularly at its new stores in Hong Kong, who had trouble finding Pixie pants and boyfriend jeans that fit them."
"As Giant U.S. IPO Nears, Alibaba's China E-Commerce Crown Slips" (Reuters)
"Alibaba's dominance of online retail in China faces its biggest-ever challenge as the firm founded by Jack Ma in a one-room apartment 15 years ago lines up a U.S. initial public offering that could value the firm at around $140 billion."
"Bicester Village Heads to China" (The Telegraph)
"Their second favourite place in the UK is Bicester Village (after Windsor Castle). Think how happy Chinese label groupies will be now that Bicester has arrived on their home turf. Lisa Armstrong charts the rise of China's bargain hunters."
"Hey Big Spenders! Chinese Travelers Spend Over $1,000 a Day" (CNBC)
"According to Hotels.com's Chinese International Travel Monitor (CITM) report published Wednesday, the average Chinese overseas traveler spends a whopping 6,707 renminbi ($1,086) per day while on vacation, excluding accommodation costs."
"VMajor, Sise Win Asia's Woolmark Prize" (Women's Wear Daily)
"China's Vmajor and Japan's Sise won the International Woolmark Prize Asia competition in the award's last regional showdown ahead of the final competition next year."
The French beauty giant’s two latest deals are part of a wider M&A push by global players to capture a larger slice of the China market, targeting buzzy high-end brands that offer products with distinctive Chinese elements.
Post-Covid spend by US tourists in Europe has surged past 2019 levels. Chinese travellers, by contrast, have largely favoured domestic and regional destinations like Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan.
While travel to Europe remains muted, Chinese shoppers are flocking to Singapore, Thailand and other Southeast Asian destinations where fashion retailers are hoping Lunar New Year marketing investments will pay off.
Local fashion designers experimenting with puffers and other down clothing have scored collaborations with outerwear companies like Moncler and attracted the attention of prominent international retailers like H.Lorenzo.