Competition in China's underwear market fierce (2)

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Competition in China's underwear market fierce (2)

By Yao Jing (China Daily) 18:01, August 26, 2013

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Also last year, Lepoux, a French underwear brand, sashayed into the Chinese market through its agent, Hong Kong-based Glamorous Apparel Ltd.

Although the 30-year-old brand is positioned as a lower-end one in France, it is targeting middle to top-end buyers in China.

One set of nightwear or lingerie, which it says combines a touch of old Hollywood glamour with contemporary styling and fitting, costs from 400 yuan to 800 yuan.

"We have set up six selling points in Shenzhen, Guangzhou and Huizhou," says He Qiming, a regional manager for Glamorous Apparel.

"In 2012 we had income of about 3 million yuan from our three stores in the first year. This year, as we sped up opening new stores, the sales volume has doubled."

He says they will focus on opening specialty stores and placing goods in department stores in major cities such as Shanghai, Wuhan and Chongqing.

"To cater to the local market, we are also adjusting some of the designs according to Asian women's body characteristics."

Elle, another French lingerie brand, has been benefiting from the evolving tastes of Chinese women for much longer. It was brought to China by Guangzhou B. Lingerie Trading Co Ltd in 2006, though they had to wait a while for the market to change.

"From 2006 to 2008, we had consecutive negative growth because most Chinese women were tending to choose simple and plain underwear," says Shi Guoliang, franchise supervisor of the company. "Our products, with large areas of lace and bright colors, were regarded as too showy.

"But after gaining experience of the market and establishing a complete sales channel, we began to develop franchising around the country. Sales grew 30 percent a year after 2010. By the end of last year, we had opened 180 direct selling shops."