Patience is a virtue for haute couture

BEIJING - Domestic high-end clothing manufacturers have a long way to go to become luxury brands, but this is the best time for luxury brands to develop in China, experts said.

Luxury brands need historical and cultural grounding and huge investment before making gains, said Zhou Ting, executive director of the research center for luxury goods and services at the University of International Business and Economics in Beijing.

"Manufacturers cannot make a profit in high-end business right away, and they have to be in the business for a long time," Zhou said. "A desire for instant success can be an obstacle to luxury brands."