Reprinted from: WWD International Fashion Information
Original title: Business Insight | Luxury by the Sea, the logic behind the layout of luxury retail in China's coastal cities
What does sea mean to luxury goods? The seaside series of luxury goods came earlier than summer. What deserves more attention than the seaside/beach series, which is updated every year, is the frequent increase of luxury in seaside cities.
First, Gucci's summer blockbuster Summer Stories, the clear and clear sea water, has reached a high resonance with the young people's idea of "summer, of course, is to go to the seaside with friends", and at the same time, it shows "capturing the seaside holiday life filled with the spirit of fearless exploration and free enthusiasm, and creating a holiday atmosphere with both fashion and pragmatism"; Then Dior Men's Wear, together with the environmental protection organization Parley for the seas, launched the 2023 autumn beach series. Marine plastic waste and fishing gear collected from coastlines and remote islands around the world are recycled and made into Parley Ocean Plastic ® The fiber is then processed into a beach limited series by Dior Workshop to realize the recycling of resources
Dior men's wear and environmental protection organization Parley for the seas launched the 2023 autumn beach series
The time of sitting by the sea is luxury. In the past 10 years, more and more luxury goods have been retailed on islands. So, starting from Saint Tropez in France, to Capri Island in Italy, Mykonos Island in Greece, and Ibiza Island in Spain, a large number of new brands around the world, like Zimmermann, an Australian luxury brand, have set up their first Italian store on Capri Island, There are also many brand founders or designers who regard opening a store in the iconic seaside resort as a romantic business dream.
While luxury goods are distributed on islands throughout the flag, many luxury goods have chosen to open stores frequently in Sanya, Qingdao, Xiamen and other coastal cities in China since this year. What is the logic behind it? In addition to scarcity, the choice of giants reflects the evolution of consumption trends and trends.
Recently, Fendi, a popular luxury brand, unveiled its first boutique in Qingdao in Hisense Plaza as early as March this year. This brand new boutique, spanning the first and second floors of the mall, presents men's and women's ready to wear, leather products, accessories, shoes and other products, and presents brand DNA While expressing the pursuit of elegance and innovation, It also shows confidence and attention to the market in eastern China.
Fendi Qingdao's first boutique
At the end of last month, the high-end sports watch brand Peinahai and luxury watch comprehensive selection concept store TimeVall é e Time World opened the 2023 New Watch Appreciation Exhibition in Qingdao MIXC. It is one of Peinahai's intentions to bring the 2023 New Watch Appreciation Exhibition to Qingdao by choosing Qingdao, an important international port and coastal resort tourist city along China's coast, to show the legend of the brand and the sea. In addition, Qingdao's high-end retail window, which gathers many international fashion and luxury brands, is also an important layout of luxury goods in coastal cities in East China.
Peinahai and TimeVall é e cooperated to open the 2023 New Watch Appreciation Exhibition in Qingdao MIXC
Last year, Shenzhen's overall economic performance was remarkable, with 93 international brands entering Shenzhen for the first time, accounting for nearly 30%. Among them, Fendi, LV, Dior, BV, D&G and other brands will upgrade their stores in Shenzhen MIXC to double-layer/three-layer flagship stores, and Valentino's first store in Shenzhen will also be located here. At the beginning of 2023, the Shenzhen market reported to Zoje frequently. Ralph Lauren opened the first store of The World of Ralph Lauren in South China in Shenzhen this spring.
The World of Ralph Lauren's first store in South China settled in Shenzhen MIXC
Another MIXC, Shenzhen Bay MIXC, has gathered 28 international famous products. Two years ago, Chanel settled in Shenzhen and chose Shenzhen Bay MIXC in Nanshan District. Three months later, Herm è s made the same choice. This month, the Italian luxury brand Loro Piana, which was acquired by LVMH, chose to open a limited time store in Shenzhen Bay MIXC when it launched its 2023 spring summer holiday series. The space inspired by the holiday seaside is full of the natural color of reeds and the classic Suitcase brown stripes, and the surrounding green plants blend into the seaside atmosphere.
Loro Piana Spring/Summer 2023 Resort Series Landing in Shenzhen Bay MIXC
Today, there are two MIXC in one Shenzhen. While there are many high-end business districts, it is also like Shenzhen Fashion Week. Through international fashion designer brand showroom, digital fashion art joint exhibition and fashion designer TALK, Shenzhen has presented its business card to the world, and welcomed global fashion brands in Shenzhen. Such an international fashion week will be held in Nanshan Vientiane World, Happy Coast, Coastal City, Shenzhen Bay Vientiane City, OCT Creative Park, High North 16th, Sea World, Window of the World, Spring Cocoon... These most fashionable cultural positions in Shenzhen have their own "figures".
Compared with Shenzhen and Qingdao, Xiamen is more like an "invisible champion". On the one hand, this coastal city has a livable climate and atmosphere; on the other hand, Xiamen, located in the "Golden Triangle of South Fujian", also has petty bourgeoisie, romance, ancient times... too many labels attract young consumers to punch in.
Last year, Marni announced the launch of a new design concept boutique in Xiamen's landmark business district, Xiamen MIXC. This year, Xiamen International Fashion Week, which combines fashion shows with local cultural tourist attractions, has attracted more than 60% of original designers and joined hands with 12+international fashion brands to integrate futurism, spring and summer life, pragmatism and natural poetry, The seaside romantic city fully reflects the narrative expression of fashion brands about spring and summer fashion.
Marni concept boutique is located in Xiamen's landmark business district, Xiamen MIXC
Each bay area will radiate around, produce siphon effect, and become an important growth pole to drive development. Just as Shenzhen is located in the Guangdong Hong Kong Macao Bay Area, Qingdao and Xiamen actually form the concept of the Bay Area. The importance of the bay area economy in global development has been internationally proven - according to the World Bank, 60% of the world's major cities are located in the bay area, and the bay area accounts for 75% of the world's total economy.
Taking Qingdao as an example, after the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, Qingdao has formed the overall working idea of "1355" - "1" is a core, that is, to build a high-quality bay city; "3" is the three main lines of development, namely, suitable for living, employment and tourism; The first "5" is to build a new demonstration of urban renewal and construction; The second "5" is the five key directions of the target. Under this plan, Qingdao intends to benchmark world-class bay areas such as the Tokyo Bay Area, the New York Bay Area, and the San Francisco Bay Area. Its commercial and high-end consumption appeal is self-evident.
In addition, Hainan is of course a key area for luxury distribution around China's coastal cities. In recent years, there are not a few fashion retail cities that have sprung up, but Hainan, which has enough favorable policies, may be the most brilliant among the many "new stars". But different from the above three coastal cities, Hainan is not only a commercial complex like MIXC, but also has many blessings.
This year, Louis Vuitton and Dior, the two top luxuries, welcomed their first stores in Hainan, and LV and Dior both entered the Haitang Bay Phase II project under China Central Exemption Corporation in the form of taxed businesses. Although not duty-free, the China exemption for global duty-free Longyou still complements the shortcomings of few luxury brand boutiques. There is no doubt that the logic behind it is the two-way drive of luxury brands to increase China's and Hainan's free trade port policies.
In the past, Hainan became famous for its duty-free consumption, and has a brilliant performance in the global tourism retail market. Now, with the support of the "international free trade port" policy, Hainan, as a commercial hot spot, has unparalleled multiple interests.
Louis Vuitton enters Hainan market for the first time
Go to the seaside, facing the wind. Luxury goods frequently appearing in coastal cities are the wind vane of regional economy and consumption trend. WWD
