China Interactive Media Group CEO and iLook Editor-in-Chief Hung Huang. (Courtesy Photo) If there’s one person to turn to if you want to learn the straight facts about China’s fashion industry, it’s media mogul Hung Huang. As the CEO of China Interactive Media Group and editor-in-chief of fashion magazine iLook, the publisher, book author, blogger,…
Author: FASHIONISLANDBLOG
Shanghai’s Sneaker King Kim of KIROIC ‘Grows Up’ With Kinkle Workshop
A sampling of Kim’s shoe designs. (Erica Ji) Shoe designer Kim is no stranger to international joint projects: his first collaboration with Korean menswear designer brand Juun J. was well-received by both boutiques and the international media, his collaboration with Chinese fashion icon Wyman Wong on a line of embroidered geometric-soled shoes was popular globally,…
Move Over, Williamsburg: Beijing’s Gulou New Hipster Hotspot For New York Times
The New York Times gets a lot of flack for its multitude of articles profiling various trendy neighborhoods of Brooklyn years after they’ve turned cool, but its search of the next hipster paradise has now officially gone global with a focus on Beijing’s Gulou area. While Chaoyang is known more for wealthier areas and expat enclaves,…
Marimekko’s Flower-Filled Designs Spring To Life In Shanghai
Marimekko’s new store in Shanghai. (Erica Ji) In early August, Finnish design house Marimekko opened its Shanghai store at the IAPM mall, one month after the opening of its first mainland China store in Beijing. The brand invited press to the new store in Shanghai for a preview of its 2013 Fall/Winter interior décor collection,…
Chinese Designer Guo Pei Invited to Host Haute Couture Show in Paris
Chinese haute couturier Guo Pei is set to host a runway show at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week from July 2-6, according to a temporary schedule released on the federation’s official website. As the queen of haute couture design in China, Guo Pei is also the only invited Chinese designer to the event (invitations are…
Grading Luxury Brands’ Digital Efforts in 2017
In 2017, several major luxury brands finally realized the importance of developing a comprehensive digital strategy to cater to affluent Chinese consumers, people whose daily lives are heavily interwoven with the internet. Recommended ReadingThe 10 Cosmetics Brands that Dominated China in 2017By Hui Zhi What follows is a detailed recap of major brands’ digital strategies,…
Savile Row Savior: Gieves & Hawkes Plots Epic Comeback with Help from Hong Kong Retail Group
An ad for Gieves & Hawkes posted on the brand’s Weibo. (Courtesy Photo) It’s been almost three years since Hong Kong-based retail group Trinity bought Savile Row tailors Gieves & Hawkes in May 2012 for an initial £32.5 million (US$50 million). Figures after the acquisition reported the British brand accounted for 20 percent of Trinity’s total…
Niche Fashion Labels Bridge Gap Between High Street and High End in China
With the popularity of lesser-known high-end brands in China starting to rise, buyer stores that select, stock, and distribute brands to retailers across the country are cashing in on a newer, fresher fashion market. These alternative brands are increasingly being made available as an option between fast fashion and top high-end luxury brands, initiating a…
Luxury Item Repair Startup Master Bao Gathers Huge VC Interest
Master Bao (包大师) provides a service you wouldn’t think necessary, offering after-sales service on luxury goods that you’d hope luxury brands would themselves provide. Yet, clearly people see a role for the service. In November, Master Bao received a 10m RMB ($1.53m) pre-A round investment led by Haixu Capital, who have also invested in better-known names…
Interview: A-List Stylist Mix Wei Talks Chic Celebs And Chinese Brands
Mix Wei dressed Zhang Yuqi in Ulyana Sergeenko at Cannes Film Festival last year. With the luxury market in China becoming increasingly competitive, one tried-and-tested approach for many brands to boost sales is celebrity endorsement. With a reach of tens of millions on their social media accounts, local stars and fashion icons such as Shu…