Northeast Tiger "Zhang Zhifeng: Create Local Luxury Goods

At the end of last year, a survey by HSBC and Fudan University showed that in 10 years, the median income of China's annual income from $7500 to $25 thousand would rise from 35 million to 100 million, giving birth to a huge middle class market.

More interestingly, the survey also found that the consumption desire of Chinese modern women is the most intense, and 85% of these people have the desire to buy luxury goods.

It is a pity that in the Chinese clothing market, the international luxury brands occupy an absolutely dominant position, and there are few local brands.

Even though it is known as the "NE TIGER" (northeast tiger), which is to create the "luxury brand in China", Zhang Zhifeng, chairman and art director, had to accept the exclusive interview with the first financial daily. He also had to confessed: "to achieve the international first-line brand, we have to walk at least 15 to 20 years."

Local luxury goods fault

Zhang Zhifeng has a tough persistence in creating a luxury brand in China.

Zhang Zhifeng's own experience may also illustrate some problems: he was once proud of her as a tailor's mother who brought him into this business.

But now his mother can't understand his clothes.

"Because we have too many clothes every year, there are more than 1300 kinds of leather and more than 1000 dresses."

Zhang Zhifeng believes that luxuries are not a luxury in China.

Chinese ancient silk, tea and porcelain are all luxuries in the international market. Unfortunately, since modern times, due to historical reasons, there has been a fault in the development of luxury goods in China (there is no concept of luxury in a certain period of time). While the west is different, not only does the social culture take on smoothly, but also the designers' training, education and so on come down in one continuous line and form their own system, which is very conducive to the establishment and promotion of the modern luxury brand.

"Even now, it is not that China has no luxury, but it is mainly named after the Royal and geographical names (such as Jiangxi Jingdezhen porcelain), but lacks a brand."

Zhang Zhifeng said.

In order to revive and to make up for China's "fault", Zhang Zhifeng, who was born in Harbin Engineering University's management engineering major, went to Fudan University to study philosophy and went to Beijing University to learn history.

From OEM to trying to create a brand

However, at the end of the 80s, Zhang Zhifeng's NE TIGER still dominated by OEM. Even now, OEM accounted for 70% of sales. However, as he contacted with international manufacturers, he became more and more aware of the importance of brand and gradually began to develop his own brand.

Since 1992, Zhang Zhifeng has set up four design and marketing centers in NE, TIGER, in France, Italy, the United States and Hongkong, China.

But how easy is this revival?

European and American brands have long been predominant, and we are more open to local luxury goods.

Zhang Zhifeng said: "the lack of Chinese brands is not culture, not history, nor quality, but the brand itself. International brands have a long history of development, and the development of NE TIGER has only been 17 years."

In terms of quality, NE TIGER's products have entered the list of luxury goods without obstacles.

At present, NE TIGER has 65%~70% products sold to the European and American markets, including fur, evening gowns, wedding dresses and so on. Most of them are sold to New York, Tokyo, Paris, Moscow and other places, but these products still appear on other brands in seams.

Zhang Zhifeng said: "now we have basically laid the first line of fur in China and are ready to enter the international market in 2009."

In order to prepare for the foreshadowing, Zhang Zhifeng first launched the NE TIGER high quality clothing series in China Fashion Week Last November.

Zhang Zhifeng hopes that Chinese clothing can become a landmark garment to undertake the 5000 year history and culture of China. For this reason, he and designers have racked their brains from the aspects of iconic, national, compatibility and modernity.

Fortunately, the market reaction seems to be uncommon. In January 20th this year, at the Olympic uniform issuing ceremony, NE TIGER was specially invited to use the Chinese dress as the opening show of the ceremony.