French luxury maison of Chloé’s recently hosted a catwalk show of its Spring Summer 2015 collection in Beijing, in celebration of its fifth anniversary in the Chinese market. She chose only Chinese models for the show.
“China has become so much more international now. What sells here sells well in Europe and America,” Chloe Creative Director Clare Waight Keller tells Women’s Wear Daily. “But what they really react to here is that luxury really needs to say luxury. Something ultra-casual at a super high price, I think that is difficult to understand in this environment here.
Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye, Chloé chief executive officer, also visited Beijing for the event. He notes the one of the brand’s strengths in China is that it has only been “minimally impacted” by the recent government crackdown, which has significantly impacted the luxury sector overall in the country. He also spoke of Waight Keller’s efforts to rejuvenate the brand for a Chinese audience.
Although Chloé’s Chinese sales are still behind those of Japan, its number-one Asian market, the brand has been gaining momentum in China as female shoppers “look for more sophisticated, understated luxury, particular[ly] in the ready-to-wear category.”
Finding retail locations in China is one of the brand’s central challenges, so going forward, Chloé will focus on improving existing locations to better meet the needs of their clients instead of just opening new boutiques. “We are not a brand that screams,” de la Bourdonnaye said. “We don’t want to be ostentatious. It is more about details and proximity to clients.”
More from NEWS
CHANEL launches fragrance ad campaign by Martin Scorsese featuring Timothée Chalamet
CHANEL's short film campaign for perfume, Bleu de Chanel, directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Timothée Chalamet has finally been launched at Cannes Film …
Richemont Group Q4 growth slows down
Slowing demand for luxury goods, especially in the Asia Pacific region, hindered Richemont’s growth in the fiscal fourth quarter and full …
Brunello Cucinelli opens new store in Venice (Italy)
In the city that symbolises Italian art and craftsmanship throughout the world, the new Brunello Cucinelli store in Venice was …