Shanghai Fashion Week, concluded last night, was surely fascinating fashion lovers with its increasingly diversified shows, compared with previous years. Meanwhile, Chinese fashion designers were applauding a new platform the fashion week organizer was staging -- providing them better access to the market. 　

During the Shanghai Fashion Week, various fashion brands and Shanghai's department stores were able to meet and talk about business cooperation, following mutual introductions by the organizer.

A closing ceremony was held on Monday evening with the Oriental Models Contest affiliated with the fashion week handing out awards at the ceremony. Chinese model Yan Fei and Spanish model Andrea respectively took home the male and female model categories which had 11 domestic contest locations and 3 foreign locations in Paris, Prague and Sao Paulo, attracting 72 contestants from 20 nations and regions.

Liu Yaqing is secretary general of the fashion week organizing committee. She believes providing such a convenience to both parties can promote the prosperity of the fashion industry in the eastern metropolis. 　

"At present, many international brands want to enter the Shanghai market, and many promising Chinese brands have the same desire. So we have the obligation to stage a platform, helping different fashion brands to get to know the relevant local department stores."　　

The organizer says they have introduced 20 different brands from home and abroad to over ten local department stores and shopping malls in different occasions. 　　

Shanghai Erdos Underwear Company was one of the featured Chinese brands. With only three years of existence, it was eager to expand its Shanghai market.

Kong Dewei, general manager of the company: "To build a brand, we must first seize the market share in Shanghai or Beijing. This year, our focus is to have a good development in Shanghai, so we really want to get in touch with people at the relevant department stores."　

Yan Fei and Andrea

Similarly, retailers were also happy to identify more potential clients. Chen Yan is a leasing manager from Grand Gateway, a shopping mall in the city's Xujiahui business district. She believes such an activity enables both parties to exchange ideas, a developmental method useful to Chinese fashion brands. 　　

After being in the industry for many years, Chen Yan has seen plenty of ups-and-downs with brand stores at their mall. She says due to the short development time of Chinese brands, they are lagging behind in terms of cultural build-up, conceptual designs, and marketing, compared with well-established international brands, adding that it takes a lot hard work to build a brand name. 　　

Many Chinese designers have failed to make it because they only care about their bottom line. 　　

"For example, the image setting of your store, the positioning and pricing of your products and the market operation --  everything needs to be done after much market research. Actually, many successful Chinese brands result from the cooperation with good designers and a professional market operator," said Chen.

(CRI November 7, 2006)