California Apparel News

Doing business in China is a hot topic in fashion retail, and a recent seminar in downtown Los Angeles gave attendees the opportunity to learn more about it.

The “How to Do Business in China” seminar was presented by the California Fashion Association in conjunction with the organizers of the Novomania trade show, held in Shanghai. Attendees gathered in the California Market Center’s Buyers Lounge to hear from a panel of experts who outlined the opportunities and the challenges of entering the booming Chinese market. Speakers included Guilherme Faria, general manager of Novomania; Andreas Kurz, president of Akari Enterprises and former chief executive officer of 7 For All Mankind; Robert Krieger, president of freight-forwarding company Krieger Worldwide; and Clayton Kwai, senior vice president of East West Bank.

Los Angeles is one of many stops Novomania is making on an international tour that includes London, Milan, Frankfurt, Portugal, Spain, Australia and Japan to help educate designers and brands on the Chinese market. The panel shared its experiences and answered questions across a range of topics.

Faria said the purpose of the tour is to explain the process of doing business in China, including highlighting success stories—as well as explaining why some people fail—and to dispel some of the “myths” about how to enter the Chinese market.

“There is no one correct way to enter China,” he said. “If it would be like that, it would be fairly simple. China is a trial-and-error kind of thing; you have to go and try and adapt.”The fourth edition of the Novomania trade show will take place in July. Founded by the Novo Group, Novomania takes place annually in Shanghai. The parent organization has extensive experience in distribution and retailing with its own department-store chain and 80 franchise stores. For brands attending the show, Novomania offers the opportunity to discover the various business models available and to connect with potential partners in China.

“I hope that the brands have learned a few things about China that are important to know and what to expect from China and how to go about it,” said Kurz following the seminar. “Nothing beats being there yourself. Novomania is one opportunity to be there and explore the market and talk to a very curated clientele of franchisees, department stores and buyers right there, right then.”—N. Jayne Seward