houses in Hermes
Centennial Hermes on a mission in China. Gan Tian finds its Axel Dumas COO.
Hermes has an intimate relationship with China. Axel Dumas, chief operating officer of the luxury home of 100 years, says her grandmother loves to play mahjong, and his grandfather has decorated his garden in Saint-Honoré with China-inspired decorative objects, as was always impressed by the Chinese culture.
"That's why, after I graduated I went to Beijing in 1995, and that's why Pierre-Alexis, our art director (Hermes International), came to Hong Kong."
"To Hermes, it has always been a great interest in China," said the sixth-generation descendant of the founder of the label, which was recently in Shanghai is to present women Hermes Fall / Winter 2012 collection.
Artistic director of the label for ready-to-wear women, Christophe Lemaire led the extravagant parade, which includes 32 models with 35 looks in the collection this season.
The French brand, which is recognized by its special logo - a horse - the so-called Shanghai event "All About Women". It featured 16 red bags designed specifically for the Chinese market, chiffon scarves and jewelry Nausicaa size rose gold and diamonds.
But Dumas has made an interesting observation of the market for Chinese fashion, said: "Men market is very important in China, and is the luxury spending."
For the rest of the world, according to Dumas, it is usually the women who buy luxury goods, but in China, Hermes always adds winnings men in his company.
The company does not have a specific number of sales in terms of gender, but Dumas and his team found that the sales of ready-to-wear men's watches are higher in the People's Republic of China in comparison to other parts of the world. This suggests that the market for luxury men here is much greater than the global average.
"Social recognition in men is very important here, and we have a very strong mind muscle," said Dumas.
From this "All About Women" event Hermes Chinese women hope eventually to learn more about the brand, and they have to buy as much as men here.
Women fashionistas Hermes Kelly and Birkin bags are as the crème de la crème of the fashion world. Rumor has it that Victoria Beckham has more than 100 Birkins, worth $ 2 million, and Hong Kong actress Cecilia Cheung wearing Birkins in various events.
Dumas said Hermes strong basic values ??have strengthened his reputation: use While some big name local companies to mass produce their bags, Hermes emphasizes the recruitment French artisans sew each pocket.
And it is this value that preach Hermes centennial hope Chinese consumers.
Citing an example, Dumas says, if they want gold, Hermes real gold lay in the material. He once asked a handyman, why so much money into the material, the answer was, so the product better. Even after five years
"China is a new market, but very important. We try to transfer the culture of Hermes here., We think long term," he said.
Hermes opened its first store in mainland China in Beijing in 1997. In the following years, he entered the markets of Shanghai and Guangzhou.
After that it was growing rapidly. Now the label has 21 branches in 15 cities in China. In the first half of 2012 led sales in Asia outside of Japan, especially in mainland China and Hong Kong, 25 percent to the growth of the business, compared to 10 percent in France and 21 percent in the rest of Europe.
When asked the question about the marketing strategy of the company, Dumas smiled before saying. "I will let you down"
He paused for a moment before continuing to say .. "There is no marketing department in this Hermes Hermes specificity we do not do marketing Chinese consumers, who are increasingly demanding, really want to find out what is the best deal and Hermes has the best quality and the best know-how.
"This is not a marketing strategy for China. This is what we accomplish every day, wherever we are trying. Recognizes that the Chinese market, which I appreciate."
Unlike other labels that are busy trying to open stores in China, Hermès will open a store in a city every year in the near future.
"It would be. Less to the opening of many new stores in many cities, but we expand our business, in which you can all products, trends, culture, and all sides of the Hermes
"It's always important, quality over quantity," said Dumas