Chloé To Stage Fashion Show Outside France For The First Time

Chloé is staging its first catwalk show outside France in the history of the house. On June 5, creative director Natacha Ramsay-Leviwill unveil the brand’s Resort 2020 collection in Shanghai, after a research trip to Asia in January sparked her imagination. The one-off venture eastwards also marks the first time Chloé has presented a pre collection on the runway.

So, why the move? Chinese consumers represent 33 per cent of the global market, according to global management consultancy Bain & Co, and Chloé felt underrepresented in the region. As the Chinese government encourages Chinese consumers to spend in China, rather than abroad, it's vital for the brand to have a presence there.

“During the last Chinese New Year week, we observed that the growth of Chinese consumption came mainly from mainland China as opposed to Chinese traveling abroad,” Geoffroy de la Bourdonnaye, chief executive officer of Chloé, told WWD of the business strategy behind the idea to stage “something special in China for the Chinese Chloé girls.”

The announcement follows the British Fashion Council’s trip to Shanghai as part of its China partnerships strategy, which aims to facilitate access to the Chinese market for UK businesses. As Roksanda Ilinčić, who joined the visit to Asia, told Vogue, “China is so far geographically, but it’s also far removed from the PR, marketing and social-media channels that we use in Europe and America.” Understanding how to communicate with consumers there is key, she adds, because “you can’t just create things and expect people to buy them without knowing what your brand is about and who you are trying to dress".

With the uncertainty of Brexit hanging over European designers, the Asian market is a lifeline. The Chloé show might be a special activation, but it will mark the brand's continued drive to capitalise on retail potential in the region. As Ilinčić iterated: “Asia is [the] next frontier.”