What does “Fashion” really means for Chinese?
Back in time to 10 years ago, what do Chinese people care more about in fashion? It was all about status and how many luxury brands they could have in their wardrobe. And nowadays, the identification of fashion in Chinese people’s minds has been completely changed! How to win Chinese customers for your brand? Discover here the top 10 things you need to know about the fashion of the generation in China.
1. Self-actualization in Chinese fashion attitude
It’s amazing to see how the generation of Chinese young people expresses their idea of fashion. Fashion tribes are wearing indifferently on the streets, in shopping malls, schools campuses, and at social events. People wear what represents their personalities and attitudes.
Thus, in order to attract urbanites, the design of the brand has to be standing out amongst all kinds of brands in the Chinese market and the massage of the brand has to be clear to tell customers. Who are you? What is the attitude of your brand, either hipster, classic or western style, etc?
2. Chinese people welcome all different kinds of brands from overseas
Chinese people want more brands, and more and more! The First fast fashion brand UNIQLO entered Shanghai, China, and it was like a gate opening to Chinese young people’s mind and they wanted to explore more fashion brands. Thus, brands, for example, H&M and Zara just like the tsunami came into China and gained young people’s hearts afterwards.
The reason was the designs and qualities of the brands made people choose foreign brands rather than local ones. Besides, the price also has huge advantages based on cost performance in the fashion market in China. Nowadays in 2020, fashion for Chinese people are no longer only means Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Gucci, but the variety of fashion brands from the rest of the world.
3. Big influences from many Western and European style of fashion brands
The image of western celebrities is always impacting Chinese people’s outfits. People get these celebrities’ information from fashion magazines, movies and videos to see what’s their idol wearing in trend and then get inspired by them. Most fashion brands in China are promoting their brand by using western superstars.
For example, Wentworth Miller was the spoke-man of Me & City (a Chinese local brand). It was a huge increase in sales of the brand back then in terms of the ‘celebrity effect’ in China and brought the western style into the Chinese fashion market.
4. Fashion tribes to discover fashion brands and guide fashion trends
Chinese young people have a very high awareness of fashion brands. They are checking fashion brands in many different resource types. Through Internet is the most popular way to discover a brand. A good example must be after H&M entered Beijing China and fashion tribes started discovering similar brands, which are similar to H&M but from overseas brands.
Besides, more and more popular fashion bloggers are recently sharing their idea of fashion and bringing new fashion trends from Western to China. Young people are learning how to dress up from these bloggers’ websites and offline such as magazines, billboards and Videos Even American TV dramas!
5. Chinese people are willing and able to pay for worthy of fashion brand
More and more people have more spare money to spend on goods. And nowadays, the majority of people are spending their money on traveling and luxury fashion brands. There is a Chinese proverb saying ‘A thing is valued if it is rare’. So people would like to spend their money on things that are limited edition or you can not find in the Chinese market very often.
According to The Economist Magazine, Chinese people’s ability to purchase goods overseas was increased by 50% in 2018 compared with 2016. It shows that Chinese people have very strong ability of buying luxury goods recent years and luxury fashion brand stores like Dior and Rolex in foreign countries are still the popular destinations for Chinese tourists.
6. Good advertisement makes a big difference of a fashion brand in China
Good quality and designs of the brand, of cause are more matters than anything else. However, on the assumption that your brand is very new for the market and the promotion of your brand is the most critical issue needed to think about it. A good advertisement makes a big difference, especially in the Chinese market.
Chinese people are very sensitive about advertisements. In regards to fashion brands, it is very important for finding your brand on the cover of top fashion magazines like VOGUE or ELLE.
Brand appealing on top fashion Magazines represents the good reputation of a brand and grabs young people’s attention at very first sight. And also, the execution and creation of the image brand makes your brand stand out from other brands
7. Hold on! There is still have a group of people buying fashion for status
Although many people are not like years ago buying the luxury brands for status, however, there is a group of people occupied a huge amount of money than others. They are called ‘Tuhao’ in Chinese, the newly reach people and only spend money on the Luxury brands.
Second, the middle age people between the 60s-70s are also like to buy luxury brands for showing their status and identity in China. They can spend more money than anybody else on luxury brands and this situation makes luxury fashion brand still has the market in China.
8. Fashion brand is strongly influenced by social media in China
As earlier mentioned, Chinese people are discovering fashion online regularly. It is necessary to make sure your fashion brand gets listed on the very top of the search engines and people can find your brand at the very beginning. Promoting your brand via fashion blogs and fashion new websites can increase the awareness of your fashion brand in China.
A social media network site is a powerful tool to get in touch with your target audiences closely. For example, Weibo is the number one social network platform allows users to post information about everything and get feedback shortly from the audiences. So, as to the company, how to develop a social campaign of a fashion brand on Weibo will be crucial for the fashion business.
Besides, WeChat, as the most popular communication software in China, has advanced the way of communication between fashion brands and audiences in terms of public platform function. The idea of ‘ sharing information in friends circle’ makes that specific brand more trustworthy and easy to target customers through sharing information with close friends.
9. Do not neglect other platforms to promote fashion brands in China.
At most times, relationship matters to the business in China. In order to promote your fashion brand, joining the fashion industry network can help you to find potential clients and build a good relationship with them. Or attending fashion trade shows to find the business contacts etc. They are all good ways for developing your business and promote your fashion brand.
10. Communication agency can help fashion brands entering China
Apart from social network sites, TVC and Magazines, a good way to increase your fashion brand awareness is finding a PR agency or marketing agency to help your business. For example, Gentlemen marketing agency is specialized in marketing strategic development in many aspects, from buzz marketing, public relations to e-reputation in the fashion field. Don’t hesitate to contact us on our website to establish your 2020 adapted digital marketing strategy and conquer China!
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1 comment
Frank Hung
Western luxury and fashion brands are valuing Chinese wealthy consumers but still underestimate Chinese brands, that’s curious