Chic Young Blood draws 10,000 industry professionals

By

Matthieu Guinebault

Published
Nov 3, 2013

The Beijing show for young fashion announced attendance figures for its October 25–27 edition at 20,000. Half that number were industry professionals, according to the organizers.

The trade fair open to the public was held in a circular space on a former industrial site at 751 D-Park, an arts district in Beijing, also host to half of the events under Beijing Fashion Week. The area's bustling energy benefited the fashion trade fair, as did a program designed to make the trade show a must-attend event in Beijing.

Appearances by popular designer, Chinese stars and musical events made for long lines at the exhibition's entrance gate. While the move to open the show to the general public has the potential to confuse regular attendees of trade fairs in the West, it also has the benefit of exposing exhibitors to a trendy Beijing youth. Of course, the organizers are already promising an even stronger program for the next edition.

Chic Young Blood said that several major brands and retailers numbered among the buyers, including K11 Beijing, Glory Mall, Wangfujing, Lufthansa Shopping Mall and multibrands Sevendays, Waterstore and Lane Crawford. Such names are a source of satisfaction for the various organizers, who claim a kinship between their show and the big Parisian trade fair Who's Next.

The offer of the some one hundred Asian exhibitors ranged from fashion to accessories, including umbrellas and cameras, with a Chinese contingent organized by China World Exhibitions in conjunction with the China National Garment Association. The trade fair also featured a corner dedicated to its new Hong Kong partner The Hub, a show for foreign brands looking to invest in the Chinese market. The topic was discussed during a series of sessions focusing on the current lack of multi-brand stores in China.

On an international level, the show drew only five brands from Brazil. Two German labels also exhibited and have already confirmed their return to the next edition. The organizers' goal remains strengthening the number of foreign exhibitors. "Fashion is an increasingly popular element in China. In coming here, international brands will meet partners to help them get into the market," said Jordan Zeng, senior project manager of China World Exhibitions.

The company's president, Sun Gowei, told FashionMag about the difficulties faced by foreign companies lacking information when entering the Chinese market. "I want us to grow more in this aspect," he said in an interview published in FashionMag Premium. "Especially through our agents in Europe, but also in meeting local federations, as we have done in Turkey and Britain, for example. And soon in France through meetings with French companies."

The next edition of Chic Young Blood will once again take place in Beijing during the city's Fashion Week in October 2014. In the interim, the main edition of Chic will be held March 26–29 at the China World Trade Center.