Standing out from the Crowd
Trend Description
Young Chinese consumers choose customization over conformity.
Case Study
Source Yiikoo
Chinese DIY clothing and gift site Yiikoo.com recently launched an online T-shirt design competition – participants can design their own T-shirts and then sell them online.
“Chinese kids refuse to wear the same thing as everyone else these days. They like to show the whole world how unique they are,” said Zhang Yu, a Yiikoo.com spokesman. “We organized the design competition to encourage young talents to create. This site is a great platform for Chinese youth to show off their individuality and personality, and a great opportunity to promote “T-shirt culture” in China. We hope some of the designers’ T-shirts will lead this summer’s fashion trends.“
The website is also engaged in a promotional tour of Beijing universities, allowing students to design their own T-shirts on the spot.
Trend Impact
Many foreign and Chinese companies, looking to leverage high-end Chinese consumers’ growing demand for specialized services and tailored products, are now employing hyper-customized marketing strategies to increase revenues and build brand loyalty. German sportswear company Adidas announced recently that they will open a customized footwear shop, “Mi Innovation Center,” in Beijing before the Olympics.