China starts down road of branded footwear
A little reported yet significant store opening occurred in Paris earlier in the year when a retail outlet exclusively selling the Chinese ‘Kangnai’ brand of footwear opened for business.
Established by Wenzhou Great Wall Shoes Industry Corporation, the shop attracted widespread interest in the Chinese footwear press because it was clear evidence of China’s ongoing efforts to break out of the ‘bargain basement’ end of the footwear market and create a brand of its own.
Reflecting this move upmarket, all the shoes sold in the Paris shop carry the new Kangnai logo and labelling that proudly proclaims that they have been "Made in Wenzhou, China."
Chinese industry observers say the Kangnai brand shows that Chinese footwear producers now have the confidence to challenge the established European brands on their ‘home turf’.
Apart from Wenzhou Great Wall Shoes, a number of other footwear producers have invested in advanced production equipment from Italy, Germany and managed to elevate the product quality. They are also increasingly looking at their marketing and advertising, both at home and abroad, with a view to moving their products away from the ‘commodity’ end of the market and more towards the branded segment.
Nevertheless, it is expected that the process will take a long time. The fact that most Chinese footwear producers are sub-contractors means they have little experience of promoting themselves or their goods in the consumer marketplace.
As the Paris store opening and Kangnai brand show, however, the tide could well be starting to turn, bringing the prospect – one day perhaps – of Kangnai footwear sharing retail space with the established European brands.
