Tingting doubled the number of buyers visiting this quarter compared to last quarter. Although it will take some time, we can feel that the market is recovering. We believe this season will be relatively stable,” Tingting said. Not Showroom has introduced many new brands this season and has expanded overall. “The traffic flow is higher than the last two years, but it is orderly,” says Zhang.
Shanghai Showroom’s Jian argued that while the overall market is shrinking, “a slowdown doesn’t mean there is no buying.”
The “new Chinese” style, which combines traditional design with modern tailoring – such as updated Chinese tunic suits – was displayed in several showrooms. The emergence of this trend partly reflects consumers’ desire for practical, casual and more inclusive fashion in the post-pandemic era. Tube Showroom public relations manager Yuli Ma said new brands such as Textile Korn and Refusal Club have embraced a more elegant and traditional Chinese aesthetic.
New business skills from brands
After last year’s blow, buyers are still cautious. Changsha AVA store manager Gu Gu said that despite the peak sales in January, consumers are generally spending less. “The budget [that they] He used to buy one garment, now he buys two or three.” Wang said that “revenge costs” have increased since the epidemic worsened, and now there is more of a “wait and see” mentality.
Faced with such a challenging market environment, designers have developed their business acumen, especially when it comes to pricing. Louis Shentao Chen, who was nominated for this year’s LVMH Award, said: “We set the standard. A portion of the individual products are within the price range. [RMB] 3,000-4,000 (£350-470), but at the same time, we have [higher-priced items] To serve high-end consumers.
New to the Tube showroom this year, Chinese brand Refusal Club has taken a similar approach. According to Refuge Club designer Yuner Shao, budget-conscious buyers are reluctant to bet on the new Chinese style. Therefore, the brand has set a tiered price ladder for this category ranging from RMB 1,500 to 3,000 (£175-350). “Some new buyers worry that a single product in a certain price range won’t sell,” says Shao. Fabric Qorn and MTG have developed two product lines that differ in price and style.
Brands have developed a deep understanding of their positioning. Some, including Refuge Club, are targeting “sunk markets” — rural, tier-three cities — to avoid stiff competition in cities like Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Shanghai. “In primary cities, consumers have many choices. Customer loyalty [or loyalty] Cities in the second and third tier will be stronger,” says NoSense Official Designer Shi Chang.
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