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| Fashion and the new Chinese identity
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More than prestige and power, it is a form of self-expression. By Giseli Cabrini
What kind of link can exist between a woman of the high nobility of Britain in the 18th century and Chinese citizens in the streets of Beijing and Shanghai, in years 2000? The answer is only one: lure of fashion. This is a kind of attitude that bypasses centuries, the East-West dichotomy, political and economic regimes and cultural heritages.
More than prestige and power, fashion is a form of self-expression and even more: a protest. This is well portrayed in the 2008 movie The Duchess. In one scene, the protagonist, Georgiana, says that fashion was the only way women had to express themselves, since they did not even have the right to vote.
Drawing a parallel with China in the 21 century, we realized that fashion also had become a channel for the post-Deng Xiaoping generation to express itself in a country that is still politically based on a centralized communist regime, despite having promoted economic opening-up from the late 1970’s.
Research done by the Agência Brasileira de Promoção às Exportações – Apex(1) shows that with the enrichment of the Chinese from the economic opening process of the market, a new class of millionaires emerged and became more interested in brands and luxury goods. The middle class, around 300 million, also got interested in Western style products from famous labels that show status and good taste of those who use them. If they cannot afford many pieces, at least they sometimes purchase some luxury items.
The Chinese attraction for consumption and luxury can easily be proven. In 2008, China hosted nothing less than eight international fairs for fashion, footwear and accessories. Major brands such as Pierre Cardin, Valentino, Versace, Lacoste, Burberry, Gucci, Prada, Armani, Christian Dior, Lancome, Clinique, Calvin Klein, Tiffany, Bulgari, Rolex and Tissot are already there in their own stores or through different sales outlets. At the end of October 2009, the Colbert Committee – that gathering 70 French luxury labels among Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton – launched an offensive campaign to conquer costumers in that country through a specially dedicated site on the internet for the users. The project took two years of work and a budget of US$ 375,000 to create a 3D website hosted in the biggest Chinese site sina.com. The Greater China – that includes Hong Kong and Macau – represented only 4.5% of the invoicing of the Colbert Committee in 2005. Currently, the percentage touches on 8% and for some others is up to 25%. In four years time, French luxury outlets will have tripled.
Also according to the research developed by Apex, these Western luxury Chinese fans have had contact with this new world from their experiences from Hong Kong and abroad. They are part of what is described as urban China. Still in accordance to the Apex survey, people who were born in the decades of 1960-1970’s had to weather a very difficult economic period and all that without counting the regional differences and the mass consumers from rural China.
The urban Chinese put into retirement both the Qi Pao(2) – traditional dress from Manchuria (the north of the country), made originally with silk and embroidering, later adopted by the royalty – and the unisex standard uniform from communist revolution and that the Chinese were obliged to wear until 1977. The economic opening of China to others nations, in 1980, was also a moment to put aside the traditional and make way for the modern and the West to take over the streets and the wardrobes. The time to express yourself had finally come. And, no better way than doing it silently by a subtle means: fashion.
Analyzing fashion in China from the economic point of view, still according to Apex’s data, between 2000 and 2005, the per capita expenditure on clothes in the country had grown 245%. Between 2005 and 2007, this expenditure increased by about 6% and the tendency is to remain the same in the next five years. Retail clothes sales went from 11 billion items in 2002 to 21 billion in 2007, an increase of 91%. In dollar terms, the amount went from US$ 53 billion to US$ 118 billion, a growth of 121%. The difference indicates an increase in the prices in the market of clothes and footwear or that the consumers had started to prefer products with a bigger ticket.
Just like in any other country, the consumer market in China has its own characteristics. There is a great difference between what the Asian giant produces and what is consumes. When the better-off Chinese decide to go shopping, they are biased against clothes that are produced in the country or countries with no fashion tradition. Great value is placed on the origin of the pieces. Articles from the so-called cradle of fashion such as Italy and France cost more than others the origin of which are unknown even though the former may not be great brands.
But China did not just open its doors to Western fashion trends. The country is also a reference point for the fashion world. In 2008, the Pirelli Calendar was inspired by Eastern culture. In the same year, China also influenced the 2009 spring-summer collection by Walter Rodrigues and its famous great wall was used as a stage for the fashion shows of Fendi and YohjiYamamoto. Textile companies are very important to the local economy and were responsible for 10% of total industry production in 2003.
As far as bilateral commerce between China and Brazil is concerned, the opportunities in clothes area are just getting started. Italy is the most important exporter, whereas Brazil is in the 60th position, with a participation of only 0,004%. It is not a question related to protectionism. The system of tariffs respects the rules of World Trade Organization (WTO) with tariffs ranging from 14% to 17%. The problem is a question of positioning of brands and products. The average price of Brazilian items is about US$ 12.54, too expensive for competing with Asian countries. On the other hand, Brazil doesn’t have the same tradition in fashion as Italy or other European countries.
Thus, we can see that fashion is more than an opportunity for trade exchange. It is an important tool for not only the minorities to express themselves, as was the case of the English women in 18th century, but also for a society with more than a billion citizens. A society, which is proud of its millenarian tradition but has enough wisdom to open itself up to new things and, definitely, is prepared to make its presence felt in this new millennium.
Notes:
1. Oportunidade de negócio para os setores de moda brasileira na China, 2008.
2. Information based on text by Márcia B. Matzenbacher, post-graduate student in Fashion at Anhembi Morumbi Faculty.
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Graduated in Jornalism at Cásper Líbero, worked at Folha de S. Paulo, Gazeta Mercantil and Editora Abril. Has experience in corporate communication at Fecomercio-SP. She holds a Master Degree in Political Science by PUC-SP University. |
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