Before the beginning of the Milan catwalk shows, Mario Boselli, President of the “Camera Nazionale della Moda” (the Italian Chamber of Fashion), stressed that this edition of “Milano Moda Donna” will look towards the Orient and China.
This is a subtle indication that our buying power is much reduced and that in order to generate income companies, though still holding their shows in Italy, need to understand the taste and needs of new markets.
In Italy we need to wait for a birthday or Christmas for a new purse. A friend of mine came back from his honeymoon in Hong Kong telling me that trendy girls over there did not wear Italian brands but only Chanel, Hermes and Givenchy.
Italian bags with the highest sales turnover are from Bottega Veneta. We are not surprised to hear that this Kelly bag by Hermes in black leather from 1995, a vintage piece, is on sale for 45,000$.
With this money, we could open a bar, maybe a sushi bar, or take out a mortgage for a small apartment.
But in China there are people who spend that kind of money for a Kelly. And we are not talking oil barons, just average Chinese girls, and nouveau riche, fashionably dressed – not by Zara or H&M but by Lanvin, YSL and Celine.
Go, Italian fashion… conquer China!!
