New Shanghai Boutique Planned For Fall Solidifies Designer's Asia Push#
A look from Hererra's Fall 2013 collection. (Women's Wear Daily)
Carolina Herrera will be expanding her China presence as part of a push into Asia with the Shanghai opening of her first China boutique planned for this fall. Although the move comes at a time when retail growth is slowing and the market is saturated with foreign brands, the label's low-key aesthetic may help it appeal to Chinese consumers who are becoming less interested in logos and bling.
The new boutique will feature Hererra's secondary line, CH Carolina Herrera. Its selection will be similar to that available in stores worldwide, including accessories and men's and women's ready-to-wear clothing. The brand may be tempted to create country-specific items, as a limited-edition line of bags in Singapore featuring the city-state's national flower were wildly popular.
When asked by Women's Wear Daily about her thoughts on the China market, Herrera struck a realistic note. “It’s saturated,” she said, noting that “maybe there are too many” international brands flooding in.
However, Herrera's market advantage lies in the fact that sophisticated, less ostentatious designs have been faring well in China as the logo craze diminishes. This may be why minimalist German label Jil Sander opened two flagship stores in China in April and why Bottega Veneta has been seeing successful growth numbers, buoying conglomerate owner PPR's China growth during the slowdown.