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Tailor-made dresses and suit on display at Jihua Group Corp Ltd's headquarters in Beijing. The market for tailor-made dressing is huge in China as the number of the rich rises. ZOU HONG/CHINA DAILY
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Whenever high-end costume tailoring is mentioned, people always think of places such as Milan and Paris. In fact, several Chinese companies have established fame in the sector, as Bao Chang reports from Beijing.
From the moment President Xi Jinping's special airplane touched down in Moscow in March, it was clear the Chinese fashion world would be sent into flux. The airplane's door opened to reveal Peng Liyuan, Xi's wife, dressed in a designer navy blue overcoat with matching handbag and a light turquoise silk scarf, marking her international debut as China's first lady.
All elements of her couture were scrutinized and raised public interest. Having no logos and no other design signs, Peng's clothes were clearly no doubt tailored uniquely.
Marking a sharp contrast with the Chinese rising taste for foreign brands, the first lady's fashion choice was domestic production.
Although officials strived to keep low-key about worldwide interest in her fashion tastes, the Chinese design and tailoring industry undoubtedly received a big boost. One State-owned enterprise made a move into tapping into the high-end costume-tailoring sector as part of the company's developing module into transforming and upgrading its products.
"We are providing one-on-one personal costume tailoring for Chinese chief executives who have robust demand for premium business dress, as more and more Chinese businessmen become active on the international stage, where they need a professional and decent image," Li Xuecheng, general manager at Jihua Group Corp Ltd, said in an interview with China Daily.
Combined with the 78-year-old service branches of the Chinese army, Xinxing Cathay International Group Co Ltd, the parent company of Jihua Group, engages business including metal smelting, textiles, mechanics, professional equipment and the rubber products sector.
Jihua Group, the group's textile and clothing subsidiary, is China's largest army needs supplier and owns the biggest business suits and shoes production base in the country. The company has also been the main supplier of government leadership dressing supplies.
The company no longer limits itself to being an army needs supplier but is seeking a new business mode and growth point in the huge and booming domestic consumer market.
Jihua is launching products especially designed for businessmen, including handmade Western suits, Chinese tunic suits, shirts and coats. In a move to compete with foreign luxury dressing brands, Jihua invited a famous Italian fashion designer to train employees. All materials are selected from premium sources for business dressing worldwide.
"With the same quality and unique design, our products are priced much lower than those of foreign luxury brands," Li said.
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