What does Bosideng’s (part-time) appointment of Kim Jones really signify? The Chinese outerwear specialist has placed a bet on Jones. But the opposite is equally true. The star designer — formerly at Dior and Fendi — has placed his own bet on China. This is the new pull between Chinese brands and Western designers: the former need the latter to strengthen their position at home and to compete on the global luxury stage. Here is what Jones himself thinks.
The appointment
Bosideng is China’s largest outerwear manufacturer, with a 36.7% market share in down jackets (source: Nss Magazine). It has just announced a new collaboration with Kim Jones for its high-end line Areal (pictured): Jones will redefine the down jacket and elevate its positioning. The new collection will debut exclusively in China. Should it prove successful, the group will consider a wider distribution. Jones guarantees Bosideng commercial success while also delivering cultural relevance both domestically and within the global luxury landscape. It is a move that other Chinese brands may soon look to replicate. Because amid a context of increasingly domestic consumption habits among Chinese shoppers, they can pursue international expansion by pairing Western aesthetic codes with local manufacturing.
The new magnetism
According to the Financial Times, Bosideng’s gamble on Jones could redefine accessible luxury. But the flipside is that Jones’s decision may pave the way for further collaborations between acclaimed Western designers and Asian labels. And what does the British designer himself make of it? Speaking to the same publication, Jones makes clear this is a part-time role that gives him freedom: “I’ve got a lot more projects coming”. After resigning from Dior and Fendi, Jones and his team went in search of something different. “And it’s been great to try new things in Asia. In the West, luxury groups are like big ships — hard to turn and nostalgic. In China, you can just build a new ship straight away. They have the production base, the design expertise, and they have a vision for the future”.
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