Seeking Design Breakthrough For Chinese Men'S Wear To Enter The Brand Growth Period

"I expect that when people think of Yiwen, they will not only think of a kind of clothes, but also a group of people who will never give up their future life after trying happiness, honor and frustration. They cherish their feelings, stick to their career, and have had wonderful experiences. They are a group of men with stories." Recently, Xia Hua, the chairman of Yiwen Group, described the ideal Yiwen men's clothing in an interview.

From the perspective of sales scale, it is difficult for Yiwen, who has been founded for 18 years, to rank in the forefront of men's wear industry. However, from the perspective of brand operation and design of clothing with Chinese cultural elements, Yiwen provides a reference for men's wear enterprises on how to improve brand competitiveness.

　 Seeking design breakthrough

China has a strong manufacturing capacity, but when competing with foreign brands, Chinese local clothing brands are often at a disadvantage. Xia Hua believes that men's clothes, especially suits, are imported. Under the influence of western design concepts, most Chinese designers are imitators, or even plagiarists. Without the root of Chinese culture, the design of things can not be recognized by Chinese consumers, and the foreign clothing industry is even more dismissive.

Xia Hua believes that the Chinese people's philosophy of life is that the outside is round and the inside is square, and low-key luxury. The Chinese people's pursuit of clothing is relaxation, roundness, and attention to details. The general concept of western clothing is to see the wrong side and see the wrong side, like shoulder pads, and the color is conspicuous, which is in sharp contrast to the low-key and restrained Chinese.

It is a great challenge for designers to create fashion with Chinese concept to implant oriental cultural elements. Yiwen encourages every designer to innovate boldly. The core requirement of designers, whether returned from abroad or growing up in China, is how to reflect the spirit of oriental people. For high-end customized customers, designers are required to design products that can express the connotation of customers according to their intentions.

Xia Hua took out a 2013 autumn and winter men's clothing and explained it specifically: every detail was done very carefully. The cutting and sewing of shoulders integrate Chinese and Western manufacturing processes. The West is good at using the broken shoulder technique, and the shoulder of the garment is the upper shoulder. However, the traditional Chinese technology is shoulder insertion, so Yiwen uses the dual-use insertion technology in manufacturing. Seen from the back, it is a traditional shirt, but from the front and side, the sleeve shoulder part is completely integrated, which will not cause tension. It is very comfortable and relaxed to wear it on the body. It is very comfortable to wear a suit with a stand collar or a cardigan outside. With the buttons made of Mo Yu, it is a set of clothes with strong Chinese style that can be understood by people.

At the 2012 London Olympic Games, Ivan held a fashion show in London, Harold Titman, president of the British Fashion Association, expressed three views after observing: "First, this show has subverted my thinking about Chinese design. My original imagination of Chinese design is exaggerated dragon, phoenix and cheongsam from the outside, while Yiwen's show is low-key and normal; second, I am most happy that this is a fashion that can be worn by westerners; third, this is a fashion that can sell well in the western market and produce great commercial value Brand. " Xia Hua believes that this is a great affirmation for Chinese clothing brands to go global.

　　 Strengthen brand building

The lack of competitiveness of men's clothing brands has always been a source of frustration for industry insiders. From the perspective of the development of China's modern clothing industry, it is really not easy to catch up with or even surpass the brands operated by Western enterprises for decades or even hundreds of years in just 10 years.

Xia Hua said that in recent years, he gradually realized and attached importance to the importance of brands. Yiwen has been exploring the road of brand development since many years ago. Xia Hua believes that the brand is that people really surpass the product and understand the cultural symbols behind the product, not the product itself. It can be called a brand only when it can talk about value beyond the product itself.

After Yiwen established its brand path, Xiahua carried out two major integrations: first, the internationalization of the supply chain. At present, Yiwen has integrated 147 foreign suppliers, from fabrics to even locks, from all over the world. At the same time, dozens of domestic and foreign garment factories are producing for Yiwen, truly realizing the global manufacturing of Chinese design.

The second is the integration of global talents. Yiwen has set up design offices in Paris, Milan and London. Yiwen is the first men's wear enterprise in China to hold the "China Design Competition" among global designers. She hopes designers can dare to touch their own culture, integrate into a Chinese brand, and fully show their design inspiration.

　　 How does global manufacturing guarantee quality?

Before the beginning of the product season every year, Yiwen's ready to wear, brand design team and the design team of the raw material manufacturer have discussed many times and put forward requirements for raw materials, including the material of raw materials; The second is the requirements of creative themes, such as the multiple ideas that are fundamentally discussed on the topic of Chinese landscape or Chinese architecture, and the manuscripts are submitted to the raw material manufacturers. The raw material manufacturers produce raw materials according to the creative manuscripts by hand, and the Yiwen designers select them, and then place an order for raw materials. After the raw materials are produced, the Yiwen designers use these raw materials to make samples, Global orderers began to place orders.

Xia Hua said that the strict procedures ensure the product quality, but to build a well-known brand, there are still many ways to go.

Kevin Kelly is currently the advanced customization brand promoted by Yiwen, and the operation of this brand may give a glimpse of Yiwen's brand approach. Yiwen strives to provide perfect services for high-end customers. It can not only provide independent design and production according to customers' requirements, but also customize the color, pattern and material of fabrics according to customers' requirements.

Yiwen has a high-quality housekeeper team, which not only provides guests with dress suggestions for various occasions, but also helps them manage their closets, put together complete sets of clothes, and provide washing services. Guests only need to wear them, regardless of whether they are fit or decent, because the housekeeper has already prepared for them

Xia Hua believes that the current development trend of Chinese men's wear brands shows us the light at the end of the tunnel. Previously, Chinese men's wear brands had been walking in the tunnel. From survival to development, and then to large-scale production, men's wear enterprises began to consider strengthening brand construction. There are some misunderstandings and environmental pressures in this process, but the Chinese men's wear industry as a whole has finally entered the brand growth period.