Chinese down jacket giant Bosideng makes Paris runway debut

On the last day of Paris Fashion Week, Bosideng, a fashion giant with sales of more than 3 billion euros, made its debut in Paris. In an after-hours event, the Chinese brand, a specialist in down jackets for more than 40 years, organized a show between the columns and under the immense glass ceiling of the great hall of the Brongniart Palace, in the heart of the French capital. After its first event in France, held before the Paris Olympic Games at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the show marked the brand's return to the City of Light.

From the lobby of the former Paris Stock Exchange, the brand signaled its intention to firmly establish itself in the segment and presented a chronology of its history beginning in 1976 with outerwear, then the production of its first down jacket in 1980 and its technical evolutions over the decades, especially in recent years with its zero construction approach, which introduces new volumes in its outerwear products.

For its first show in France, two years after its last appearance on the Milan catwalks, the flagship brand of the Bosideng International group went all out with around fifty mixed looks. The show, divided into three parts, was full of details and ideas focused on the down jacket, underlining the brand's experience in this field.

Head of style of the brand since 2017, the Italian-Chinese Pietro Ferragina expressed with the Master Puff collection his ambition to make the brand the reference of the genre. “It's a new way of approaching this category, not only to provide comfort and warmth to people, but also to make it a true ready-to-wear garment,” the vice president of style told FashionNetwork.com. “I think we are the only ones on the market with this approach. I wanted to give a new impetus to the Puffy style with volumes but also with original fabric treatments and constructions.”

And, in fact, the axis of this collection is very far from the external or functional sphere. After an announcement over the loudspeaker and the sound of a plane landing, the models left through the main hall of the Brongniart Palace. Of course, it was all about the down jacket, but there was no lightweight underlayer here: everything was worn as a main piece, with lots (and lots) of volume, whether in oversized collars or puffed lapels, creating a distinctive look and comfortable feel.

Men, with a new preppy mood, come out protected by these oversized jackets, over which they casually tie their sweaters in intense tones. As if getting off a plane, the young women advance in short, asymmetrical dresses with floral prints and ruffles and high-volume monochrome nylon jackets. At arm's length, they carry a travel pillow in the same print as their dress and acid-shine faux leather bags.

This “eco-leather” features prominently throughout the collection. Appears in loose, flowing men's pants; with a round, very graphic, camel-colored poncho with a high collar that extends to the waist like a giant ruff; in a women's aviator-style jacket; and in an interweaving of horizontal and vertical bands.

Beyond travelers, Bosideng also targets urbanites. Their jackets, made with minimal panels for a minimalist silhouette or, conversely, with a multitude of ultra-puffed horizontal panels, offer modern options with real character. The elegant versions, for both men and women, play with generous collars and knotted belts to emphasize the waist, some even integrated directly into the garment.

The final act of the show brought a touch of exuberance. Playing again with exaggerated volumes, the collection presented five variations of theatrical evening dresses in deep plays of red and black, where the use of matte black fabrics contrasted sharply with the sculptural volume of padded coats and trains. Hoods, capes and cuffs are adorned with crystals, reinforcing the image of a queen of the night. A proposal aimed directly at a Chinese clientele.

A charm offensive… for Chinese customers?

At the end of the show a question naturally arises: what ambitions is the Bosideng group pursuing with this event? Pietro Ferragina said he wanted to establish the brand in Paris for the long term, while Gao Dekang, the brand's president, stood up to congratulate the style director at the end of the show.

Bosideng is a giant in China, but apart from a huge flagship on Molton Street, opening in the heart of London in 2022, proposed development projects for Milan and Paris have yet to materialise. No doubt chastened by a failed initial foray in the 2010s, which saw the brand close all of its international activities, particularly in Britain, the brand's management says it is in no rush.

“The internationalization of brands goes far beyond simply exporting products or expanding distribution channels; it involves the cross-border flow and optimal allocation of various factors of production, including brand influence, talent, capital, capacity and markets,” the group's management said in response to questions from FashionNetwork.com. “Expanding a brand overseas is a complex and long-term process, requiring sustained efforts by the company in multiple areas such as strategic positioning, brand building, technological innovation and localized operations. Bosideng will tirelessly strive to grow from China's number one down jacket brand to a global leader.”

However, it is currently managing its expansion in its territory, with a comfortable sales growth of 10% in its last financial year ended March 31, reaching almost 17 billion yuan (2.03 billion euros) for its eponymous brand. The brand has a dozen lines, which allows it to reach different customer profiles, with its Puff Collection in Paris being the most experimental in terms of style and allowing for collaborations, such as with the MSGM brand.

The group generates 84% ​​of its business, that is, almost 26 billion yuan (3.13 billion euros), from its down jacket brands. These include Bosideng, Snow Flying and Bengen, and the company has a joint venture in China for Bogner and has a stake in Moose Knuckles.

The group is hyperactive in China, where it explores opportunities on platforms such as Tmall, JD.com and Douyin, and has 21 million followers, driving targeted engagement across its different customer profiles. It is also committed to technological advances and artificial intelligence.

“We have created an AI lab to explore and build a new apparel R&D model, based on AI and Big Data,” the brand stated. “This gives us a competitive advantage in AI technology algorithms and creative applications for down jacket design. By continuously iterating our AI algorithms, we have created a large model that truly understands the user's stylistic vocabulary. This system allows for a fully digital closed loop, from design to virtual delivery of the garment.”

But Bosideng is also a giant in the real world. The group claims to have developed a smart factory model. “In the manufacturing phase, Bosideng's smart factory has a 90% automation rate in key production processes,” the group says. “We have implemented data-driven management throughout the entire process, from raw material storage to finished product shipping, thanks to our independently developed web platform for the garment industry, GiMS. Smart manufacturing has not only increased production efficiency, but has also led to a reduction in the carbon footprint per product.” The Chinese giant also maintains that its technological and environmental advances will be the pillars of its growth in the coming years.

These developments should benefit its network in China, which has almost 3,500 stores across the country, a third of which are in major cities. Bosideng also manages this business with great delicacy, implementing a strategy of seasonal openings that allows it to be as relevant as possible in terms of locations, with around 1,500 points of sale in this format each year.

If we closely analyze the group's activity, international sales amounted to only 1 billion yuan in the last financial year (130 million euros), 28% less. Neither the American nor the European market appears in the strategic plans announced by the group's management last March. Like many Asian players seeking visibility during Fashion Weeks, Bosideng's main goal this fall was probably to win over customers in its home market.