The Giorgio Armani Group has already made a 3 million push into the Chinese market by their fist haut couture exhibition in Shanghai and Hong-Kong. Now it also plans to launch about 50 new retail stores and some other ventures in China.

The Italian fashion Group shows a rapid expansion to Asian market – Giorgio Armani has opened 35 stores in China, Hong Kong and Taiwan in the last five years and plans to open more 10 stores in China within the next year. John Hooks, the commercial director of Giorgio Armani Group and Paolo Fontanelli, the chief financial officer confirmed Armani’s intention to expand their outlets on Chinese market.

The new stores will be concentrated on retailing Emporio Armani and Armani Collezioni lines. The fashion giant plans to collaborate with Chinese partners, which will be chosen by geographic aria. As the aim of Armani Group is to have more partners and to rationalize their joint ventures.

Today the Giorgio Armani Group is one of the six largest multinational fashion companies on the Chinese market along with Hugo Boss (67 stores); Ermenegildo Zenga (60 stores); Ralph Lauren (49 stores); Burberry and Ferragamo.

Besides, this week Giorgio Armani held his haute couture show in Hong-Kong and Shanghai exhibiting Armani Privé collection. The event in Hong-Kong took place on the ground floor of the modernist HSBC building and was attended by a 1,500-strong audience. Among the famous guests were named Lady Helen Taylor, who is the Italian designer’s international ambassador, Mrs Donald Tsang, the wife of the chief executive of Hong Kong, and the movie star Jackie Chan.

The first presentation of Armani couture in China took place in the Shanghai Art Museum and displayed 400 creations from his three decades in fashion.

The other investments in China involve Armani Casa (Home) line and its hotel sector. The group already runs a hotel in Dubai and plans to open 10 more: one in Milan within the next two years and the next one in Shanghai.

Technorati Tags: Giorgio Armani, Emporio Armani line, Armani Collezioni line, Armani Privé collection, Armani Casa line, Hong-Kong, Shanghai

MarediModa, a leading beachwear producer in Europe, organized the first Asia-based exhibition of high-profile beachwear, which was held in Nusa Dua, Bali from 14-16 March. The exhibition was dedicated to swimwear fabrics as well as to accessory industry.

The main aim of the event was to bring the high-quality European Beachwear system to the Asian market, where the high-end swimwear is in great demand. Besides, the exhibition helped to improve the collaborative relationships between the European beachwear fabric manufacturers and beachwear designers.

MarediModa and Mittelmoda International Lab also arranged the competition for young designers from the Asia Pacific region. The competitors were asked to design a women’s beachwear collection using the fabrics of the MarediModa exhibitors.  The final was held within the Bali 2006 trade fair, on March 15 during the Gala Dinner. The winner got an all-inclusive trip to beautiful Bali, lots of visibility and promotion opportunities.

MarediModa Group is known for organizing similar events in Cannes and Munich for over 5 years already. The events are known as the most prestigious show of the kind, gathering more than 100 companies each time, while the group is considered a leading beachwear manufacturer thanks to the high quality fabrics and competitive service.

Established in 1988, MarediModa Group today unites about twenty Italian producers of beachwear, which respect tradition, history and unrivaled quality of Italian goods. From its first days, the Group has aimed to better the collaboration between converters and manufacturers, trying to expand the ‘philosophy of beachwear’ to all the sector’s components, upstream and downstream.

Technorati Tags: MarediModa, Mittelmoda International Lab, beachwear, swimwear, exhibition, beachwear show

Swarovski introduced its collection of featured lingerie and swimwear at the Fashion Exposed Trade Fair held in Sydney from March 12-14. The group displayed prototype designs from 31 top best world  known fashion houses including Roberto Cavalli, Christian Lacroix and La Perla as well as Cheetah, Manik Mercian and Sarina Suriano.

The collection is well worth watching. The items are fabulous, they charm with the shimmer of thousands of tiny crystals, the artistic handicraft and the intricacy of designs. Some people are fascinated with the flamboyant garments and accessories so much that they are ready to pay as much as $30,000 for each (still, most items remain exclusive due to their cost).

The price is high, but the designers claims that the items are worth the money, as some pieces have been made for up to three months. Besides, Swarovski is known for its high quality crystals.  

The group has a long history in the fashion aria, and now it proved once again its fashion clout revealing with the new collection its ability to create ingenious designs with new colors, affects and applications.

Although some items are handmade and were crafted for “show” only, most of them as the fashion house promises suit for “everyday wear”. I, personally, has fallen in love with the costly lingerie as soon as I saw it, and I easily understand those who are ready to pay fortune for the things. Though, I hardly believe that the glittering undergarments will be comfortable for everyday wear.

Swarovski Lingerie and Swimwear collection is not yet available for sale, as most pieces are one-off prototypes.

Technorati Tags: Swarovski, lingerie, swimwear, crystal, La Perla, Roberto Cavalli, Cheetah