The second cause is that Chinese consumers generally like to try new things and do not usually maintain brand loyalty. They will readily abandon products that everyone easily recognizes.
A change in the political environment also contributed to the decrease of big logos on products. As a large number of purchase orders for luxury products were used as gifts to officials in the past, new anti-corruption efforts emphasized by President Xi Jinping made people who wanted to buy big brands with recognizable logos switch to high-end products with less obvious symbols in order to avoid political trouble.
"This is one force pushing the trend but not a main reason," said Zhou.
Within the big picture, the structure of the Chinese market has also grown layers. Consumers have started to get to know different brands in some detail.
"Brands such as Pomellato, Jil Sander and Roger Vivier are enjoying an increasing recognition in China…While many big brands slowed down their growth in 2012, Bottega Veneta, for example, still had a 30 percent increase in sales. Designer brands have become more popular," said Zhou.
Future effects
Industrialized manufacturers are producing a huge amount of fashion items, making it too easy to be seen wearing the same thing as someone else. People generally prefer to wear things that are different from others.
One byproduct of designers coming out every season with items bearing "invisible" logos is that they would probably spend more time on differentiating their product design.
At the same time, the market will have more space for less well-known brands and domestic designers.
Domestic brands like JNBY and Exception de Mix Mind are examples of Chinese brands that have built their name purely on the design rather than a logo. Many designer brands on taobao.com are also being noticed by the customers.
Custom-tailored and limited edition items are trendy not just for people with strong purchasing power but also for the mass community. The customization goes beyond fashion, leading to an era where jewelry, a yacht, furniture, and many items in daily life can be ordered and tailor-made.
Zhao Zhiang, deputy director of Merchants Department, King Glory Plaza in Shenzhen, told the Global Times that shopping malls are altering their brands in stores every year.
The economy has gone past the crazy ascending years. For most brands, the plan for 2013 searches for stability and many brands are opening new stores as well as closing inefficient stores to reach a balanced position.
The economic environment and the overall fashion trend both require more exquisite details in designs.
Whoever can first grab consumers' attention without logos will be the one taking a predominant position in the battle for business.
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