Timberland APAC head: Shanghai offers window into future consumer trends

Shanghai is playing a significant role in a broader cultural shift, with its mix of creativity, cultural heritage and international perspectives giving Timberland a window into what future trends may look like.

That was the core message from Puneet Khosla, vice-president and general manager of Timberland APAC, speaking at a panel discussion titled "Global Executive Dialogue: Global Demand, Shanghai Style" in Shanghai on Aug 26.

The event brought together five executives from the retail, wellness, beauty, and jewelry sectors to discuss Chinese culture, Shanghai-style products, experiential consumption, and services for international visitors.

Khosla noted that consumer expectations in Shanghai are among the highest globally. He said the city's retail landscape was better than most he had seen elsewhere.

He added that Shanghai serves as a window for the company to understand what the future might look like.

When asked about the appeal of "Shanghai Style", Khosla said that behind it was what he called the Shanghai mindset. He said there is no single Shanghai style because it changes over time, and that the Shanghai mindset is what drives it.

He traced the mindset back to China's 5,000-year heritage and the confidence it instills, saying the resulting pride and confidence help people in Shanghai combine that heritage with modernity and, in turn, shape the Shanghai mindset and "Shanghai Style".

Timberland, which entered China in 2006, has been applying this thinking to its own operations, Khosla said. He said the brand opened a store in Shanghai because it believed it could learn and evolve from the local market. It has also produced T-shirts featuring Shanghai graphics, allowing visitors to take a piece of the city home.

Khosla said Timberland was working to stay culturally relevant in Shanghai by collaborating with local partners and taking what it learned outside China.

Khosla observed a major shift in consumer behavior: people no longer seek just a transaction; they want experiences. Shanghai, he said, has built a robust ecosystem that integrates culture and creativity to offer specialized, immersive experiences that are not elsewhere.

He cited a pop-up store on Anfu Road earlier this year as an example. Instead of a standard setup, Timberland created an interactive space where consumers could learn about the brand's heritage and engage through a virtual campaign.

He said Timberland would have used a regular setup in most markets, but on Anfu Road it created the pop-up because it saw that format as the best way to provide an immersive consumer experience. He credited the government-supported ecosystem for enabling such creative engagement.

On the topic of services for global travelers, Khosla highlighted the importance of platforms like International Services Shanghai. He said such platforms could make the journey more seamless for international tourists, helping them immerse themselves in the city, leave with more lasting memories and share a more positive impression with others.