H&M fashion sets up shop in Qianmen

By Han Sen

 

 

 

Swedish fashion brand H&M arrived in Beijing with a bang Wednesday, with a party at its new store in Qianmen in which thousands of fans rushed to take advantage of an opening sale.

As with any local debut of an international brand, celebrities flocked to the affair. Among those present were Taiwanese model Joe Zheng, singer Zhang Xiaochen and model Zhang Liang.

Guests enjoyed a 20 percent discount on the brand’s latest collection. When H&M opened its first mainland store in Shanghai in 2007, fans in Beijing would fly south just to go shopping there. Local airline companies might now lose some of their business.

“Every time I went to Shanghai, I spent as much as 1,000 yuan on their clothes,” 28-year-old Wang Xuru said. Her purchases would consist of five dresses and three fashion accessories – a steal at that pricier H&M’s quality products. Wang said she set aside 3,000 yuan specifically for the brand’s opening night in Beijing.
The event’s guest of honor was Ann-Sofie Johansson, the company’s head of design, who flew from Stockholm on Tuesday evening.

“We have several trends or styles to choose from,” Johansson said. She brought with her H&M’s latest collection, which was inspired by the wild. “We have animal patterns this season, the leopard, stripes,” she said.

“We do not produce garments specifically for the Chinese market, because I think fashion is a global thing,” the designer said. “People who wear H&M garments feel good about themselves. y have confidence and they know how to match clothes.” Johansson said she believes the brand will continue to grow, especially with the support of loyal customers.