A Chinese dream dressed to the nines

For clothes maker it's Milan today and tomorrow the world

For many people, the very power of a dream lies in the fact that ultimately it cannot be realized. But Zhang Huaming wants none of this soft-sell approach.

Since he established a women's garment factory 26 years ago in Jiaxing, Zhejiang province, he has dreamed of producing China's own women's fashion brand so the country can excel not just in clothes manufacturing but in design as well.

Now Zhang, president of Hwa Fashion Group, reckons he is half way to realizing his dream and he is now ready to press on. The company has about 500 shops throughout the country and had sales revenue of more than 3 billion yuan ($484 million) last year.

Moreover, in the Milan Expo this year, volunteers, workers and government officials in the China pavilion will wear clothes his company designed, under the brand name Elegant Prosper.

"Milan is the capital of the fashion industry, and we are honored that our design was chosen as the only garment brand in the Chinese pavilion," Zhang says.

"Apart from shouldering the social responsibility of China's domestic fashion brands in Milan, with our latest collections of the season we will present to the world the fashion of Zhejiang province and China."

Wu Haiyan, dean of the School of Design at the Chinese Academy of Art, says it is a big step for Chinese brands into the global market.

"The Milan Expo is a perfect opportunity for the brand to illustrate its style. I have seen its designs for the event, and I think they closely match the theme of the China pavilion."

While Zhang's company celebrates its milestone, he says the second leg in realizing his dream will be harder to achieve and will take a lot more time.

In talking about the fashion industry, few people can think of a Chinese brand that can compete with big Western names in international markets, he says.

"If you look at the history of famous Western fashion brands, you see that it took a very long time for them to get to where they are today. Forming brand culture needs at least 50 years, and most companies in China have only 10 to 20 years of history under their belts."

There is still a huge gap between Chinese fashion brands and international ones, he says.

"We are at least 20 to 100 years behind them. If we are to catch up, support at a national level is a must."

That need is all the more pressing given that the fashion industry is about to become a pillar industry for the country, he says.

"The area in which supportive policies are particularly needed is value-added tax rates."

The tax of 17 percent for a garment maker is higher than many countries' import duties, he says, and that is hobbling companies' expansion efforts.

Zhang is also concerned about cultivating fashion talent.

"We have talented people with very creative, fashionable ideas, but somehow the educational system restricts their development."

He suggests that art and fashion colleges adopt a bolder and more international-oriented attitude.

"If they did that they could break free from outdated thinking and cultivate the country's own designers, artistic professionals and fashion business skills, which would infuse the fashion industry talent."

Other business people should think and act like artists, drawing on their knowledge of Chinese culture and the arts, but at the same time remain customer-oriented, creating products that fuse fashion, culture and arts and offering good service.

Only by doing so are they likely to gain patronage from more domestic consumers, he says.

Although the company is about to make a debut in Milan, Zhang is skeptical when Chinese companies talk about going global.

"Going global seem to be the buzzwords on everyone's lips these days. As China's status grows in other areas, clothes manufacturers are keen to prove to the world that they can get rid of the OEM (original equipment manufacturer) label and have their own brands. But if you are not fully prepared to do so you can do a great deal of damage."

As a result of Chinese brands not acting that way, they are seen in a bad light globally, he says.

"It takes decades to establish a good reputation, and just seconds to ruin it."

Good quality and a strong cultural style are two critical elements for a company wanting to go global, he says.

Zhang's company has been cautious with its expansion. In 2010 it opened its first overseas store in Macao. Now average sales revenue of its three stores there has surpassed that of mainland ones.

The company is now looking at markets in Singapore, Dubai and Russia, preparing for the next round of expansion.

"As long as our design and quality are solid, there are plenty of opportunities to go global," Zhang says. "Our next goal is to export more fashion products with Chinese elements."

Fashion has played a key role in Chinese history, and the country was not only the earliest consumer of luxury goods but also a fashion power.

The fashion industry in France has embraced apparel, accessories, cosmetics, jewelry and watches, bringing about economic prosperity as it boosts consumption of the country's fashion brands across the globe.

In that light, Zhang has often wondered what in China's fashion can represent the country on the world stage.

"Perhaps traditional silk, tea and chinaware will do, and be reborn with branding and cutting-edge styling. The rise of the fashion industry will also stimulate brand-new fashion brands, which may sweep the world with a strong Chinese style. We can show them that we not only have "Made in China" but also "Brand from China".

yanyiqi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 03/13/2015 page22)