China : Beijing to speed up building of Fashion Capital

The building of a ‘Fashion Capital’ has been a big event in Beijing’s development. In particular, as the host city for the 2008 Olympic Games, Beijing has attracted the attention of the entire world.

The implementation of the strategic concept of ‘New Beijing, New Olympics ‘ has provided a rare developing opportunity to Beijing garment industrial upgrading and brand management.

A large number of well-known local brands, such as Li Ning, not only have achieved great success in Beijing and the country, but also actively explore the international market and become the speakers of ‘fashion capital’. In addition, the collective effect of the garment industry has been emerging. There are indications showing that Beijing has taken a solid pace in building the ‘Fashion Capital’.

“Beijing has five major edges in building the fashion capital.” Changqing, deputy director of Beijing Municipal Industrial Promotion Council, said. Beijing, with its long history and unique culture of the capital, possesses the basic elements of building the fashion capital.

All of the basic elements can be summed up in five major advantages: prominent market position, certain scale and quality for being an industrial base, abundant human and organizational resources, brisk fashion exhibitions and professional fashion atmosphere, a rare opportunity created by the 2008 Olympics.

Relevant data show that when per capita GDP is over US $5,000, people will go for thepursuit of significant changes in clothing, and pay more attention to quality, style, fashion and personality.

Last year, per capita GDP of Beijing surpassed $6,000, the total value of retail sales in wear category stood 25 billion yuan, accounting for more than 10 percent of total retail sales of social commodities. Thus, along with the sustained, rapid economic development and the improvement of people's living level, clothing demand will show a strong growth.

Beijing's huge market demand space, developed commercial facilities, unmatched consumer model and radiation effects have attracted popular fashion brands from home and abroad to enter this city. Currently these pop clothing brands have formed a significant trend of congregation in some large malls.

At present, Beijing city has over 1,000 enterprises in garment processing, annual sales income reaches 15 billion yuan, an annual increase of 36.2 percent. The number of employees was 120,000 in previous year, accounting for 34.16 percent of the urban industrial employment, and 10.46 percent of Beijing city’s industrial employment.

According to Changqing, the promotion of the fashion capital will be focused on the aspects such as design, brand, supporting policies and situation.

Beijing's goal is to build a research and development center, an information release center, a fashion fair center, a high-end and famous product business center, an integrated featured industrial chain center, which will lead the development of China's garment industry. Finally Beijing will establish the city’s image of a ‘Fashion Capital’.