China fashion affect London

Although China is by far the world’s largest exporter of clothes, its wares are almost all sold under foreign labels.

This is now changing, with Bosideng, the Chinese fashion brand specialising in down-filled clothing, opening a flagship store this month in London’s West End.

While a handful of other Chinese fashion brands have concessions inside European and North American department stores, this is, as far as beyondbrics can establish, the first time a large mainland Chinese fashion group has hung its sign over the front door in the west.

Bosideng is going for broke, setting up its stall in South Molton Street, one of London’s most prestigious – and most expensive – retail addresses.

Bosideng UK’s CEO, Wayne Zhu, told beyondbrics that the London store is the first of several planned Europe openings. The company has also wanted to open a shop in New York for some time, “but the right Manhatten location has yet to come available”. The company hopes that in five years time overseas stores will contribute around 5 per cent of group revenues.