CHIC Shanghai: Stepping up for the New Normal

China International Fashion Fair 2016 (Spring ): The international hub as meeting point of the fashion business sector. 104, 592 professional visitors from 68 countries and regions. Asia’s fashion window CHIC furnished proof on international cultural and creative industries with total 1,300 brands 20 seminars with focus on scientific and technological researches including new sales channels 15 fashion shows underlined the new fashion styles.

Mr. Chen Dapeng, Executive Vice President CNGA and Head of CHIC, remarked:"CHIC is the navigator guiding the fashion business in China and stimulating positive energy. CHIC meets the practical needs of the enterprises and lays the foundation for highly-efficient matchmaking between fashion brands and trade.”

CHIC - from March 16 to 18, 2016 - took place right at the beginning of China's 13th Five-Year-Plan Convention. Not revolution, but evolution dominates the prosperity of the fashion business. Innovation, especially in the area of research, development, industrial transformation constitutes the ,main force'. And as outlined by Mr. Chen Dapeng, the Chinese market is still growing, but it is a market for the middle class. The slogan ,new normal' expresses that consumers in China are very well aware on styles and prices, but not buying at any price. The price/quality ratio plays an important role.

104.592 professional visitors registered during the three days of CHIC. Even if this number was lower compared to CHIC in March 2015, the higher quality of visitors was remarkable. Mr. Limin Ou, CEO of Peacebird (3.850 stores in China as retail brand) confirmed: 'We received a lot of positive feedback, the visitor quality as well as the quantity was amazing and we succeeded in reaching our goal. The Chinese market becomes more and more sophisticated and we believe the future for us will lay in quality fashion for China's growing middle class.' The increasing international buyers' scene was evident and even merchants from Botswana/Africa signed a business contract at CHIC. Also Carrefour placed directly an enormous order. Besides trade visitors coming from shopping malls, department stores boutiques, e- commerce platforms also outlet centers attended CHIC. Mr. Liu, President and General Manager of Shanghai Xiongyi Apparel Ltd., one of the long-time visitors of CHIC, said: ‘I am coming to CHIC since many years. I always receive here new inspiration and discover every time new brands for my business.'

Feedback from CHIC's lifestyle areas

The clear structure of CHIC convinced the professional visitors again. Within PRESTIGE hot discussions were raised regarding customization style innovation and better cost performance. Some of the Chinese brands used CHIC as platform to relaunch their brand or present new lines. FIRS relaunched its brand Shanshan, Peacebird presented a new brand of their group called WHAAM, a new cooperation between Ningbo Peacebird and Disney, targeting the young fashion market in China. Also one of the big Chinese retail brands, SEMIR, promoted a new brand within the area NEW LOOK (womenswear). Mr. Liu, business development manager of Semir, explained that their new brand GSON, focussed on business style fashion, is profiting of the boom in the commercial real estates of China. Septwolves launched its new brand Totem Wolf - a new fusion of Mao, Tibetan, Dai ethnic characteristics and culture. The leading young team of Totem Wolf supplemented the launch by the relevant mobile phone APP.

International Fashion Journey

The area was enlarged this time and new nations like Netherlands showed up. Mr. Chen Dapeng expressed that European brands are demanded in China, but they have to compete with the market prices of same quality in China and review their calculation of prices being partly six times higher than in Europe.

Gerard Roudine who is organizing the French pavilion PARIS FOREVER expressed that this CHIC was the best of their longtime participations. Also the Italian pavilion LA MODA ITALIANA received more visitors than the years before.

The Brazilian shoe association Abicalcados organized the Brazilian pavilion ‘Brazilian Footwear’. They were very happy about the visitors’ flow and joining forces with CHIC to push their brands into the Chinese consumer market. After several platforms they tried in China, they found now their place at CHIC and will continue in October 2016.

The Chamber of Commerce The Netherlands, Enterprise European Network participated first time at CHIC. They received visitors from the part of wholesalers, buyers and agents. And they even placed orders at CHIC. They considered their participation as successful and will plan a larger participation next time.

The participants in the German pavilion have made good experiences at CHIC. Claire Thorneycroft, export manager Roesch, liked the clear structure of CHIC and conducted highly promising talks to enlarge their distribution network. Some of the German exhibitors were exhibiting together with their agents in China. This confirmed Mr. Mathias Schulz, head of sales international, item m6, who spoke about a resounding success.(More statements see attachment)

London based PURE with its show-in-show concept at CHIC was optimistic. The PURE organizers were happy about this cooperation as they were aware of the strong partnership with CHIC as mediator in the fashion sector.

Istanbul Leather and Leather Product Exporters’ Union (IDMIB）participated for the 3rd time at CHIC. They increased their participation by 50 % and announced already a further increase for next CHIC. The Turkish brands for leatherwear, furs and shoes received many trade visitors and considered their participation much more successful than expected.

The information age at CHIC: FUTURE LINK

This area provided the complete industrial chain software information technology. Information solution enterprises like Qishaon Tech, Quzhuyun Tech, Jiqimote accentuate the necessity of intelligent manufacturing from sewing automation digital printing. 3 D printing or drawing, but also inventions like cloud computing, big data to improve the industrial standards to 4.0.

CHIC is the recognized mediator of the fashion business in China. Since its beginning in 1993, CHIC has established a world-wide network and a very close relationship to whole Chinese fashion circle. CHIC has set its tasks to be the fashion wind vane and to be partner even in more difficult times to see and work out changes and breakthroughs.

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Next dates:

CHIC (autumn) Shanghai October, 11 to 13, 2016
CHIC (spring) Shanghai March 2017

>> CHIC official website