Pal Zileri builds men's fidelity
http://www.gbmnews.com/articles/979/1/Pal-Zileri-builds-mens-fidelity/Page1.html
News Hound
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Published on 07/22/2007
By Michelle Zhang
When a woman passes a store, any store, anywhere, and sees something nice in the window, she will go inside and buy it. Impulse shopping. A man is different. Knowing his style and what he already has in his wardrobe, he tends to shop at the same store. "Fidelity" is his word.
Lorenzo Della Croce, director and general manager of Pal Zileri in the Asia-Pacific region, hopes that more and more Chinese men will come to the stores of the Italian men's wear fashion house, find out about it and start to appreciate the brand's discreet, elegant style-building fidelity.
When a woman passes a store, any store, anywhere, and sees something nice in the window, she will go inside and buy it. Impulse shopping. A man is different. Knowing his style and what he already has in his wardrobe, he tends to shop at the same store. "Fidelity" is his word.
Lorenzo Della Croce, director and general manager of Pal Zileri in the Asia-Pacific region, hopes that more and more Chinese men will come to the stores of the Italian men's wear fashion house, find out about it and start to appreciate the brand's discreet, elegant style-building fidelity.
Pal Zileri builds men's fidelity
By Michelle Zhang
When a woman passes a store, any store, anywhere, and sees something nice in the window, she will go inside and buy it. Impulse shopping. A man is different. Knowing his style and what he already has in his wardrobe, he tends to shop at the same store. "Fidelity" is his word.
Lorenzo Della Croce, director and general manager of Pal Zileri in the Asia-Pacific region, hopes that more and more Chinese men will come to the stores of the Italian men's wear fashion house, find out about it and start to appreciate the brand's discreet, elegant style-building fidelity.
"Believe in what you see instead of relying on the fashion magazines," he says. "Fashion is about individualism. There are no certain criteria: keep your own style and wear something to make yourself comfortable."
From the formalities of a working engagement, to the solemnity of a ceremony, and ultimately the desire of escapism during free time, the Italian brand offers a full range of collections that suit any occasion.
From classical suits, jackets and overcoats to shirts, sweaters and accessories, from custom-made garments to dynamic sporty wear, the customer is free to mix and match and adapt to his own style, as Della Croce suggests.
To the Switzerland native, Pal Zileri is like his own child: Right from the beginning since his joined the brand about 20 years ago, he took up the challenge to develop the business and image of the brand, which at the time had only five clients outside of Italy.
After years of hard work, today the brand has become one of the most recognized high-end men's fashion labels worldwide. It is sold in more than 50 countries and regions. Its exports have gone up from five percent to 55 percent in just 10 years.
Having launched its first China store in Beijing about six years ago, the company runs eight stores in the country and plans to open approximately 12 stores by the end of this year. The aim is to open 40 to 50 stores in the country, not only in major metropolitan centers but in secondary cities as well.
"We are extremely happy with the market reception in some secondary cities like Hangzhou, Ningbo and Chengdu," says Della Croce. "The Chinese market is huge. Even the secondary cities here are as big as huge cities back in Europe. And the market is definitely catching up quite fast."
It is also a complex market. Chinese clients are used to a certain type of fashion, for example, they don't wear suits that often; and they have already had a certain understanding of "quality." It's not that easy for them to accept new things, such as made-to-measure services. But, according to Croce, the tailoring business has been gradually growing in recent years.
"For us, China is one of the most challenging places," he continues. "If you compare the Chinese market and the Japanese market, the Chinese market is definitely more difficult (to deal with). Japan is a country where brands talk. However, in China, the quality is as important as the brand.
"However, I'm happy to see that Chinese customers have grown to appreciate fine fashion and are becoming more and more sophisticated in quality," he says, adding that the company is very optimistic about the future development in China.
With the global economy going down, it is not easy for a fashion company to keep continual growth every season. However, operating 220 stores worldwide, Pal Zileri's seasonal growth reaches 12 to 15 percent.
"Nowadays people spend less on fashion," the director explains. "They are more careful to choose which brand to 'invest' in. When you buy a suit from Pal Zileri, you are definitely not going to wear it for only one season."
The new autumn/winter collection of the house is a beautiful blend of quality materials and natural tones.
The palette ranges from gray to dark black, with splashes of light brown, bright red and other warm tones. The length of the suit varies and the cut remains fit. Either single-breasted or double-breasted are made of fine cashmere. The design of the overcoat expresses the idea of simplicity.
For young elites, there is the Pal Zileri Lab line that combines traditional materials and advanced tailoring skills. The modern collection features classic black and gray as well as bright purple and green, 1920s-style T-shirts, ties featuring military motifs as well as polished leather boots.
For formal dressing, Pal Zileri Cerimonia, a line that is quite popular with Chinese customers, especially in Hong Kong, provides an option for men who attend ceremonies. The perfectly tailored black suits are often embellished with luxurious ornaments such as gold and even diamonds.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2007/200707/20070721/article_324149_1.htm
When a woman passes a store, any store, anywhere, and sees something nice in the window, she will go inside and buy it. Impulse shopping. A man is different. Knowing his style and what he already has in his wardrobe, he tends to shop at the same store. "Fidelity" is his word.
Lorenzo Della Croce, director and general manager of Pal Zileri in the Asia-Pacific region, hopes that more and more Chinese men will come to the stores of the Italian men's wear fashion house, find out about it and start to appreciate the brand's discreet, elegant style-building fidelity.
"Believe in what you see instead of relying on the fashion magazines," he says. "Fashion is about individualism. There are no certain criteria: keep your own style and wear something to make yourself comfortable."
From the formalities of a working engagement, to the solemnity of a ceremony, and ultimately the desire of escapism during free time, the Italian brand offers a full range of collections that suit any occasion.
From classical suits, jackets and overcoats to shirts, sweaters and accessories, from custom-made garments to dynamic sporty wear, the customer is free to mix and match and adapt to his own style, as Della Croce suggests.
To the Switzerland native, Pal Zileri is like his own child: Right from the beginning since his joined the brand about 20 years ago, he took up the challenge to develop the business and image of the brand, which at the time had only five clients outside of Italy.
After years of hard work, today the brand has become one of the most recognized high-end men's fashion labels worldwide. It is sold in more than 50 countries and regions. Its exports have gone up from five percent to 55 percent in just 10 years.
Having launched its first China store in Beijing about six years ago, the company runs eight stores in the country and plans to open approximately 12 stores by the end of this year. The aim is to open 40 to 50 stores in the country, not only in major metropolitan centers but in secondary cities as well.
"We are extremely happy with the market reception in some secondary cities like Hangzhou, Ningbo and Chengdu," says Della Croce. "The Chinese market is huge. Even the secondary cities here are as big as huge cities back in Europe. And the market is definitely catching up quite fast."
It is also a complex market. Chinese clients are used to a certain type of fashion, for example, they don't wear suits that often; and they have already had a certain understanding of "quality." It's not that easy for them to accept new things, such as made-to-measure services. But, according to Croce, the tailoring business has been gradually growing in recent years.
"For us, China is one of the most challenging places," he continues. "If you compare the Chinese market and the Japanese market, the Chinese market is definitely more difficult (to deal with). Japan is a country where brands talk. However, in China, the quality is as important as the brand.
"However, I'm happy to see that Chinese customers have grown to appreciate fine fashion and are becoming more and more sophisticated in quality," he says, adding that the company is very optimistic about the future development in China.
With the global economy going down, it is not easy for a fashion company to keep continual growth every season. However, operating 220 stores worldwide, Pal Zileri's seasonal growth reaches 12 to 15 percent.
"Nowadays people spend less on fashion," the director explains. "They are more careful to choose which brand to 'invest' in. When you buy a suit from Pal Zileri, you are definitely not going to wear it for only one season."
The new autumn/winter collection of the house is a beautiful blend of quality materials and natural tones.
The palette ranges from gray to dark black, with splashes of light brown, bright red and other warm tones. The length of the suit varies and the cut remains fit. Either single-breasted or double-breasted are made of fine cashmere. The design of the overcoat expresses the idea of simplicity.
For young elites, there is the Pal Zileri Lab line that combines traditional materials and advanced tailoring skills. The modern collection features classic black and gray as well as bright purple and green, 1920s-style T-shirts, ties featuring military motifs as well as polished leather boots.
For formal dressing, Pal Zileri Cerimonia, a line that is quite popular with Chinese customers, especially in Hong Kong, provides an option for men who attend ceremonies. The perfectly tailored black suits are often embellished with luxurious ornaments such as gold and even diamonds.
http://www.shanghaidaily.com/sp/article/2007/200707/20070721/article_324149_1.htm