Shenzhen Women's Creative Culture Industry - Dialogue with Shen Yongfang, President of Shenzhen Garment Association

Shenzhen's women's wear industry has the status today in China, and is inseparable from the persistence of Shen Yongfang. In 1998, Shen Yongfang became secretary general of the Shenzhen Garment Association. Since then, she has become the helm of the rapid advance of the entire garment industry in Shenzhen. At the same time, she has spent more than 10 years drawing a clear picture of Shenzhen's women's development.

Today, Shen Yongfang is the chairman of the Shenzhen Garment Association and is still struggling to plan for the future of the industry and outline a blueprint for development. It is such a warm and busy helmsman that has created the splendor of the Shenzhen women's wear industry.

Not long ago, this reporter took the opportunity of the 11th China (Shenzhen) International Brand Clothing and Apparel Trade Fair to go southwards to Shenzhen for two times and had an in-depth conversation with Shen Yongfang. A panorama of the development of the Shenzhen women's wear industry started slowly.

Reporter: Shenzhen's women's wear industry has been developing for more than a decade. So, what is the status of it today?

Shen Yongfang: As we all know, the beginning of the garment industry in Shenzhen was based on “three to one supplement” and “OEM production”. But in my mind, there has always been a firm belief that Shenzhen women's clothing must take the path of brand development. After more than ten years of hard work, Shenzhen's women's wear industry has gradually formed a complete set of industrial systems and agglomeration advantages, with the emergence of "Ma Tian Nu", "Ma Si Fei Nuo", "Song Li Si", "Shadow Children", “Mulan”, “Narth”, “Jiyi”, “Oberrano”, “Gelanlanxi”, “Lady House”, “Love Special Love”, “Langxi”, “Pink Blue”, etc. Well-known women's brand. At present, Shenzhen has become the "women's capital of the country," forming the "China Women's Watch Shenzhen" industry structure. Shenzhen's women's clothing brand has been widely recognized by the industry. Many good shopping malls in China have taken the initiative to find the Shenzhen brands such as Masfil and Yinger and demand cooperation.

After more than a decade of development, Shenzhen women's apparel companies have now entered the stage of brand promotion, concept promotion and cultural upgrading. For example, at the 11th Shenzhen Apparel Fair this year, Yi Zhi Hui made the “Artistic Hui Cultural and Cultural Journey”, explaining fashion, brand culture and clothing from five perspectives: design, culture, creativity, art, and technology. Connotation between. This is a reflection of the future development of Shenzhen women's overall development.

In recent years, Shenzhen has also come out of many new women's brands. For example, Weiyang Song, Yan Keer, AUM, Yannuo, Lusha and others.

Reporter: Just now you talked about the improvement of cultural creativity. Why do you think the power of culture is so important?

Shen Yongfang: Taking the cultural road is actually an improvement in the quality of thought. For example, like some time ago LV made an exhibition at the National Museum of China, the theme of which is "Art Space Travel", which is LV is playing "cultural card." Through such an exhibition, consumers have a new understanding of it, and cultural propaganda has an impact on brand promotion. Now consumers buy luxury goods, not just buy products, but to a large extent buy the brand's ideas, tastes and culture.

Since the development of the Shenzhen women's brand, the most pressing issue is also the issue of raising the cultural connotation. It used to be said that only luxury brands are available abroad, but I think that brands such as Masfil have gradually developed into Chinese luxury brands. Such a brand has already gained popularity and reputation in the country. In the future, it will depend on further enhancing culture and services.

The development of the garment industry has entered a period of transformation. For the first 10 years, China's clothing brand is learning to walk and learn to become a brand. After more than a decade, it will enter the stage of hard work in culture, art and thought.

Reporter: In fact, although you just talked about the important role of culture for the development of Shenzhen women's clothing, in fact, it also includes a direction of the future development of Shenzhen women's brand.

Shen Yongfang: Yes. Now Shenzhen has a bottleneck period regardless of housing prices, land or labor costs. Someone told me to suggest that whether Shenzhen can also take into consideration the construction of processing plants in countries such as Vietnam and the Philippines, where the labor force is cheaper than in China, or to build plants in western regions such as Yunnan and Sichuan. I think Shenzhen is when the manufacturing industry began to diverge.

At present, the status of some clothing exporting companies in Shenzhen is not very good. One of the reasons is that the exchange rate of *** is unstable, and the situation after 3 or 5 months is not the same. There are too many uncertainties in the company. This situation forced some of Shenzhen's export companies to transform into brands, and now they are not worried about the transition.

In addition, I think that although China is a manufacturing power, industrial upgrading is inevitable and necessary, but it must not be manufactured. The fashion industry can't lack manufacturing, and manufacturing can create brands.

China's mall ordering system will certainly develop. We next have to do a small ordering exhibition to allow the mall to order the goods of export companies. I can't watch as many export companies die. The survival of independent brands is not easy, and the survival of export companies is not easy. We must support the development of the manufacturing industry.

At the same time, we have also been advocating an ideology that calling love brands is patriotism.

Reporter: You talk about what is called "love brand is patriotism."

Shen Yongfang: Many small and medium-sized brands in China are relatively fragile and accidentally buried by current business. All kinds of unspoken rules in business are very unfavorable to the development of the brand. In fact, shopping malls should cooperate with brands to achieve a win-win situation, rather than the purely rented venue for the brand to the mall, and the mall must peel off this “secondary landlord” role.

As we all know, Paris, France, Champs-Elysees is well-known in the world. There are many luxury stores on this street. It is most commendable to leave the best position on the street to its own country's brand, companies only 10% -20% of the rent and other expenses, the remaining 80% -90% by the government subsidies. I think our government should also provide some support and protection measures for its own brands. South Korea also advocates "fiber to serve the country," and they all take pride in wearing their own brands. We must learn about good things in the exchanges with international brands, such as design, ideas, innovation, etc., but we are not blindly admiring.

At the same time, we have always believed that domestic shopping malls should also leave the best place on the floor for Chinese brands. We want to protect China's own brand. If there is no model innovation and no sense of win-win cooperation, the mall will not be able to follow the road.

Reporter: In the future, what are the plans of the association to promote the further development of the Shenzhen womenswear industry?

Shen Yongfang: In the future, we will continue to let Shenzhen's women's wear brands go out, go to the UK, the United States and other countries to participate in Fashion Week, and further strengthen exchanges and cooperation with international fashion circles. At this year's fair, the general director of London Fashion Week, JOHN, also arrived. I took him to the brand company and asked him to select brand products that could enter foreign markets. In September of this year, we will again go to Britain to participate in London Fashion Week.

At the same time, we will, as always, run the annual Shenzhen Service Fair to promote the development of the garment industry in Shenzhen by serving as a carrier. During the “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” period, the service exchanges should really change from “exhibitions” that emphasize business functions to “conference and exhibitions” that lead the innovation of industrial concepts.

Actively promote the development of the garment industry clustering base in Shenzhen. The clustering base is located in Bao'an District, Shenzhen. The total planned area of ​​the base is 1.46 million square meters. After the base is completed, it will become a representative of the transformation and upgrading of traditional industries in Shenzhen, representatives of advanced manufacturing industries, and representatives of creative industries and high-end brands.

In addition, we plan to run a clothing school. At home, we are already talking with some universities in Xi'an and other places abroad and with the California Department of Education. The clothing school is completely private and has been planning for many years. Now that its main building is about to be capped, three dormitory buildings have been built. At school, students spend 80% of their time practicing, and each process involved in clothing must be studied. The school also has a system of foreign exchange students.

Reporter: Your time in the garment industry in Shenzhen is very long. In the meantime, what is your biggest feeling?

Shen Yongfang: Anything needs to be adhered to. I have been in the industry for 10 years. I have been touched by which level of leadership, so they are very supportive of me. Although this road is harder and more energy is devoted, I firmly believe that what I have to do is sure to do.