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Interface News Reporter | Chen Qirui

Interface News Editor | Xu Yue

Trendy fashion brandsAmerican VintageFrom France, now expanding in the Chinese market.

1moon7day,American VintageA boutique in Wukang Road, ShanghaiLooknowOpen a shop within a shop.LooknowXiaohongshu said this is the brand's first store in mainland China.5moon,American VintageThe company announced through its official social media account that its first independent store in mainland China has opened in Shanghai Reo Department Store.

arrive6moon,American VintageThe second store in Shanghai was opened in Xintiandi, and soon after, new stores were opened in Shenzhen Luohu MixC and MixC.8The first store in Beijing opened inSKP, and the fences of Guangzhou Taikoo Hui and Nanjing Deji Plaza have also been exposed.

American VintageAt2005Founded in France, its founderMichaël AzoulayHe is still responsible for design and operations as the managing director. The brand began to expand globally during the epidemic.2021In 2017, it opened its first directly-operated store in the United States in New York, and plans to expand to cities such as Los Angeles and Miami; in Europe, it entered two new markets, Spain and Ireland.

In Asia,American VintageIt is not a new face.2012In 2011, the company opened its first store in Asia in the IFC mall in Hong Kong, which was also its eighth store worldwide.6stores in locations such as Pacific Place, Times Square in Causeway Bay andELEMENTSElements and other high-end shopping malls.

To some extent, the early layout of Hong Kong hasAmerican VintageWith the free travel boom, it was brought back to the mainland by tourists as a niche brand, thus accumulating initial popularity and recognition. The trend of consumers pursuing simple and relaxed clothing after the epidemic made it known to more people, and the recommendation of Zhang Xiaohui and other Xiaohongshu bloggers made it further popular.

Michaël AzoulayIn an interview with the media, he said:American VintageThe average age of the audience in China is about23years old, and about20%The apparel products are produced in China. According to the plan, the initial expansion will focus on opening offline stores, first considering large cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, and then increase online channels.

This is also the reality.American VintageOnline e-commerce platforms such as Tmall, JD.com or WeChat mini-programs have not yet been opened, and consumers can only purchase through independent offline stores, buyer stores or others’ purchasing agents.Ganni、ZimmermannIt is different from the common form of designer brands first entering Tmall and then opening offline stores.

Over the past year, the cooling trend in the luxury goods industry has allowed many small and medium-sized brands with designer styles to open stores in high-end shopping malls.ZimmermannThe first store in China opened in Taikoo Li, Qiantan, Shanghai.GanniIt entered Taikoo Li Sanlitun in Beijing and Deji Plaza in Nanjing.

But among these small and medium-sized brands,American VintageWhere500Yuanzhi1000The competition is most intense in the yuan price segment.American VintageAlthough it has attracted consumers' attention with its basic style and colorful appearance, these characteristics are not extremely high and difficult for other brands to break through.

Compare prices,American VintageCompetitors includeZaraandH&MThere are many similar items in the stores of fast fashion brands such as Taobao and Ochirly. If you want to compete in channels, a large number of Taobao brands with similar styles have a wider audience, and traditional women's clothing brands such as Ochirly are now also starting to do simple designs. If you want to pay attention to style,GAP、HollisterThere are also many basic color styles, and their American bloodline is purer.

nowAmerican VintagePart of the advantage comes from the positioning of designer brands and niche brands, combined with the previous sales method through buyer stores and the recent expansion strategy of intensively entering high-end shopping malls, which strengthens its international and fashionable attributes. On the other hand, in terms of integrating the characteristics of basic styles and rich colors with offline stores,American VintageIt creates a warm yet sophisticated tone, which is different from the coldness and alienation that is generally prominent in other basic brands on the market.

This is also whyAmerican VintageThe reason why China prioritizes expanding offline channels and first-tier cities is that it needs to increase the value of a series of items with low design thresholds by building a specific style image, and this value is not easy for consumers to perceive through online channels.

However, the Chinese women's clothing market has been highly involuted, and various offline retail models have emerged in the past few years. What is certain is that when a brand becomes popular, other products with similar styles will soon appear on the market, and these products will not enter Beijing.SKPAnd Ruiou Department Store, but it may diluteAmerican VintageGive simple basic styles a fashionable value.

This is not a good thing for its continued expansion.