Chinese denim label Toughjeansmith is looking to change the way the West thinks about brands made in China.
The label is among the first Chinese brands to expand into the competitive European market, opening headquarters in London last February. It is also one of the few Chinese denim labels to position itself in the mid-range market.
“There is a hunger in Europe for new products and an area of design that buyers have not explored yet is China,” said Pierre Darnton, European general manager for Bauhaus Group, the Hong Kong holding company that launched the brand in Asia in 1994. “With China being such a dominant force going forward, it would make sense to look East for inspiration and fresh approaches.”
The “Made in China” label, more often sewn into hemlines, will be prominently printed under the brand’s logo on tags and other marketing materials.
“We emphasize quality using Japanese denim for our jeans collection. However, we are very proud of our label’s production origins,” said Darnton.
Targeting customers between the ages of 15 and 25, the brand boasts a full line for women and men, as well as accessories. Juxtaposing edgy military detailing with an underlining punk-rock vibe, women’s jeans sport bright colors, skinny fits and detailing such as gold and foil prints, priced at 38 euros to 58 euros, or $48 to $74, wholesale.
Bauhaus boasted annual sales of HK$436 million, or $56.2 million at average exchange, for its fiscal year ended March 31. The company, which is publicly traded on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, also owns 80/20, an army and navy-inspired brand, as well as multibrand denim stores in Asia. Toughjeansmith has 60 fully owned stores, as well as 10 franchised shops in Asia, Brazil and Europe. It is sold through some 500 doors in Europe and 100 in the U.S.
For winter 2007, Bauhaus group is adding another label to its denim portfolio. Salad, a women’s denim brand, will be launched at the January edition of the Bread & Butter trade show in Barcelona. The colorful denim collection compares itself to brands such as Miss Sixty and Killah Babe.
Darnton has aggressive plans for Bauhaus brands.
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“We are planning to establish Toughjeansmith as a major competitor to the middle-market denim business,” he said, noting the group plans to expand its franchise business across Europe.
A Moscow store opening is slated for February and a flagship in Barcelona will open in January.