Italy is home to some of the world's most famous fashion labels and designers. From Gucci, Armani to Valentino and Dolce & Gabbana, the country turns out top talent and designs that have a worldwide appeal.

All those high fashion houses have had a presence in China for some time, and now smaller fashion house are due to arrive.

Quanlian Chengrun Business Management, in Beijing, announced it will introduce about 35 Italian brands, including clothes, shoes, bags and accessories, to China in 2015.

The brands include Mariapola, Lamperti, Officine Marini, Alessandro, Angelo Toma, Danive, Andrea Ventura, Le Fate, Leonora, Mary Claud, Raccosta, Denny and Mora. They will target middle- and high-income groups.

Items will be priced between 500 yuan ($82) and 2,000 yuan for spring and summer collections, 700 yuan to 3,000 yuan for autumn and winter collections, said Huang Hetian, president of Quanlian Chengrun.

Alberto Bradanini, Italian ambassador to China, attended a show, last month, organized by Quanlian Chengrun to present some of the products. Bradanini said he is glad Chinese customers would know Italy not only has high-end haute couture but also good ready-to-wear fashion goods at a reasonable price.

Quanlian Chengrun initiated the collective entry along with its Italian partner HAMS, a company that specializes in promoting small and medium-sized enterprises.

While it is risky for a brand to enter a new market by itself, the collective entry will carry less risk, Huang said.

"Many Italian fashion houses are family-run business and they are concerned about entering China's market," he says. "We've done a lot to convince them and are committed to promoting them in the right way.

"They will be promoted and sold within an integrated plan so they can enjoy the scale effect. It will also allow the consumers to compare and make their own choices."

Different arrays of brands will be selected for shopping centers in different cities depending on their consumers' habits. Opening online stores and working with local brand agencies to promote them is also under consideration.

While people tend to think of Italian brands being expensive, they have chosen ones with both good design and quality, as well as an affordable price, says Li Haijing, managing director of Quanlian Chengrun.

"Fashion is not always luxury. It is more of a matter of taste. Most of the midlevel brands in China are Chinese and some are from South Korea. There are not many European brands here, and that's an opportunity for us. We want to offer a new choice for the Chinese market," Li said.

While the commercial real estate has been developing rapidly in China in the past few years, there are not enough brands, which leads to most malls looking the same, said Gao Dongxu, secretary-general of the Commerce and Urban development Committee under the China Real Estate Chamber of Commerce.

"As a nation with a huge consumer market, we should bring in more established brands and learn from them face to face, including their cultural creativity and design concepts," Gao said.

sunyuanqing@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily 10/17/2014 page3)