Exhibitor Categories

• Indigo @ The HUB

  – denim brands and jeanswear focused companies

• Heritage @ The HUB

  – brands with true history and a story to tell

• Street @ The HUB

  – emanating from an urban environment or with an active edge

• Contemporary @ The HUB

  – directional young fashion and lifestyle brands

• Designers @ The HUB

  – Up and coming, just on the radar, bespoke, couture and artisan labels.

Hong Kong,  an eclectic city, full of drive, ambition and creativity, the fabled gateway to China and truly where East meets West

At THE HUB you will interact with a mix of global industry professionals helping to create an exciting, dynamic environment highly sought after in the growing Asia Pacific fashion world. THE HUB will showcase, exhibit and educate.

THE HUB, through its extensive network and working relationships with key government bodies and trade associations from the region can pre-arrange appointments with key decision makers and buyers from the best retail and distributions groups from throughout Asia Pacific.

Rest assured, THE HUB has been created by international brand professionals for international brand professionals. We understand your integrity, passion and concerns.

Facts

• Asia Markets are rapidly growing and will be at the forefront of global economic growth for decades to come.
• Branded fashion is highly sought after across Asia Pacific, and especially China.
• The rise of new money and an emerging middle class, in China specifically but also across the region, has increased the demand for fashion and fashion brands.
• The new middle class are looking to create an identity for themselves and are moving away from the traditional. There is a growing movement towards creating and cultivating individuality through fashion.
• What has taken place with Luxury Goods is now happening in young and branded fashion. If you want to be part of this new wave you need to participate in THE HUB.
• The time is now for you to develop and cultivate your brand in the Asia Pacific Markets. The luxury brands who missed the first wave of global fashions expansion into Asia are still struggling to make an impact whilst the trail blazers go from strength to strength.
• Developing business in Asia can often seem confusing, even intimidating. THE HUB can help you. By placing you in meaningful conversations with Asia specific industry professionals who have demonstrated their desire and ability to work with international brands.
• You will leave the HUB with a full understanding of the options open to you in terms of business models and types of partners as well as a stack of business cards of people who want to work with you that it would take years to accumulate in any other way.
• THE HUB is a rich, dynamic global platform to showcase your brand across the Asia Pacific Fashion Industry. It is a platform that you need to be a part of, now.

Figures

• Clothing market demand growth is predicted at over 4.5% per annum for Asia and Australasia as a whole and over 8% per annum up to 2015 in China alone.
• In Hong Kong the clothing and apparel market is predicted to grow from US$40bn in 2010 to over US$52.5bn in 2015.
• China’s market overtook Hong Kong in value in 2011 with total sales of US$47bn and will grow to US$90bn by 2015.
• Clothing demand for Asia and Australia was approximately equivalent to that for Western Europe in 2011 at around US$183bn while for the US it was around US$148bn. Startlingly, by 2015 these figures are forecast to be around US$263bn for Asia and US$192bn for Europe and US$172bn for the US.
• A 43% growth in Asia over 4 years compared to less than 5% for Europe and 16% for the US.
• Retail sales in China increased by 13.2% y-o-y in August of 2012.
• Historically, from 2010 until 2012, China retail sales y-o-y averaged 16.2%, reaching an all time high of 19.9% in Jan 2011.
• In China the percentage of household incomes in excess of 16K USD per annum was 6% in 2010. In ten years time this is forecast to be 51%
• Similar growth of the middle class with disposable income is occurring throughout SE Asia
• The Chinese are also becoming more aware of fashion. According to a 2007 survey, only 12% of consumers said they keep abreast of the latest fashions. Three years later, the number had jumped to 28%.
• Casual apparel accounts for 58% of clothing sales in China today. That’s why both local and multinational players are scrambling to expand.  Japan’s Uniqlo will open 1,000 new stores by 2020 while China’s Semir will set up 800 outlets over the next two years.

A recent report from McKinsey & Co (September 2012) was summarised neatly:

“Instead of the big, trustworthy brands that many companies have used to good advantage up to now, more diverse portfolios of brands and niche products will be advisable,” the author said, including some “that ‘speak directly’ to consumers’ emotions”.

The report reveals the new mainstream consumer to be less concerned about price and durability than before and 50% more likely than mass consumers to consider the emotional benefits of the product they are buying, such as its potential as a signifier of “individuality”.

figures from: The Economist Intelligence Unit, National Bureau of Statistics of China, McKinsey & Co, PWC