Tag: nanjing rd

  • Furla Shanghai flagship opens

    Furla Shanghai flagship opens

    Italian leather goods brand Furla China has launched its first flagship store in Shanghai as part of a move to expand its presence on the mainland.

    The new Furla Shanghai store is in Citic Square in Nanjing West Rd. As the first duplex design store on the mainland, the flagship has two levels covering 300 sqm, and features women’s and men’s leather collections and accessories, as well as items exclusive to the store.

    A feature of the flagship is its 234 sqm LED facade – a first for Furla.

    Founded in Bologna in 1927, Furla has a strict made-in-Italy policy for its leather goods. The company had more than 30 per cent growth and strong retail expansion across all regions last year, resulting in 339 million euros (US$377 million) in sales.

    Fulra Shanghai 2

    In China, the brand has been bucking trends, growing its market sales by more than 60 per cent in the first quarter of this year.

    Furla president Giovanna Furlanetto says the opening of the Citic Square flagship marks an important step in the company’s dynamic expansion strategy in China.

    A highlight of the opening was the Furla “Made for You” service, with Chinese actress Jiang Shuying designing her own bag, carrying a “Made by Jiang Shuying” tag. The bag was auctioned with the proceeds going to the China Women’s Development Foundation (CWDF), which supports women’s rights and career development.

    As well as Shuying, fashion bloggers Elle Lee, Liu Xiao, Peter Xu and Toni attended the opening event, which also featured the launch of Furla’s limited-edition Metropolis bag, which has the themes “Hello Shanghai”, “Love Shanghai” and “Kiss Shanghai”. It has heart-shaped patterns and comes in red, black and pink.

    Furla has a presence in 100 countries with 400 single-brand shops on international shopping streets, a distribution network with more than 1000 points of sale, and growing channels in travel retail and eCommerce.

     

  • Hong Kong Retail Rents Remain Sky-High Despite Slowdown

    Hong Kong Retail Rents Remain Sky-High Despite Slowdown

    Even as slumping sales force luxury brands renegotiate retail rent prices and close stores in Hong Kong, a new report finds that it’s still the second-priciest place in the world to open up shop.

    According to Cushman & Wakefield’s newly published “Main Streets Across the World” report, Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay area retained its second-place rank after New York’s 5th Avenue as the most expensive retail location globally this year. Causeway Bay retail rent cost an average of US$2,399 per square foot a year, an amount far above the next-highest cost on Paris’ Avenue des Champs Élysées, which came in at US$1,372 per square foot. However, a continued retail sales slump driven by fewer mainland tourists could drop its ranking next year as top luxury brands rethink their Hong Kong strategies.

    The listing comes in spite of several Hong Kong store closings by luxury retailers over the past year that include Coach’s Queens Road Central flagship and TAG Heuer’s Causeway Bay store. Many companies such as Burberry—which is reducing the size of its largest store in Hong Kong—have said they are attempting to renegotiate their rent prices. These include Kering, Prada, and Chow Tai Fook, and more store closings may follow depending on negotiations.

    The report notes that “downward pressure on rents is becoming increasingly evident on the back of weaker retail sales and the slowing in tourist arrivals.” As a result, rents in Causeway Bay fell by 12 percent year-on-year for the period ending in June 2015, while Central, Tsim Sha Tsui, and Mongkok fell by between 11.9 and 13.9 percent.

    Shanghai was the only other location in Greater China to make the list of 65 locations, with West Nanjing Road moving up to 11th place from 12th place last year. Tokyo’s Ginza district and Seoul’s Myeongdong area—both top destinations for Chinese tourists—also ranked high on the list at 7th and 8th, respectively.

    Mainland China is on course to become the world’s largest retail market by 2018, although brick-and-mortar growth is slowing as e-commerce becomes more popular. The report notes that retailers in both Shanghai and Beijing are testing out ways to become “lifestyle destinations” through strategies such as the introduction of food and beverage options. They’re also embracing O2O marketing with special mobile shopping apps and free in-store WiFi. Retail growth is expected to be especially strong for retailers geared toward the middle class as the luxury market remains in slowdown mode, according to the report.

    Because of Tokyo’s success from the influx of Chinese tourists, the report predicts that rents are likely to go up for luxury retailers in the coming year as brands like Burberry, Moncler, and Brunello Cucinelli have pursued store expansion in key shopping districts. In addition to the posh Ginza district, retail rent went up by 20 percent in the Omotesando area over the past year.

    There is a silver lining to the Hong Kong slump, according to the report. It states that Hong Kong’s retail scene is now becoming a “more tenant-friendly environment,” and lower rent levels “will create opportunities for luxury brands and high street retailers to enter the market such as Monica Vinader, Sotheby’s Wine, Claudie Pierlot, Rebecca Minkoff, Perrin Paris, and Filson.”