“Building Cool Culture With Chinese Characteristics” by Ren

The following blog is by Ren, a graphic designer at Chinese fashion label JNBY and now a contributor for enoVate. Through his blog he displays his keen eye for fashion and design, which has led to him being featured in local fashion magazine, Yoho.

Below Ren uses his interest in fashion as a starting point to briefly discuss brand entry into a Chinese market. Scroll down for a translation.

建设有中国特色的潮流文化
去年好友推荐我看LOOKBOOK，当时我对这样的街拍网站产生了很大的兴趣，我看过的街拍网站也不少，像JAPAN STREET STYLE，就是十分不错的网站。而LOOKBOOK成功在独创的品牌归类系统以及和投票系统，让这个网站变得即具有品牌文化推广性更不失大众参与性。当时就想到什么时候这个网站出个中文版或者推广到中国来就好了，毕竟在这个网站上面的中国人实在是比较稀有。
今年在好朋友的推下我看了她们做的网站（voguemate），我发现这个网站和我刚说过的LOOKBOOK有惊人的相似处，而且人气还蛮高的。他们也承认有借鉴。其实我觉得这个并没有什么不对，毕竟借鉴和抄袭只是一线之差。
回到这次的主题上，在中国这个大环境，因为市场的需要以及人们心里的需要，对新事物和新文化的需求量还是很大的。如果外来文化不愿被同化，就会有一股相似的东西出现。你说google应该用什么方法可以对付占有那么强大的中国市场的百度（baidu）呢，再如ebay在中国哪怕砸几亿广告也许也不能把当时借鉴他的淘宝（taobao）给压下去吧。肯德基也十分郁闷自己怎么会有一个中国姐妹呢？
中国的潮流及中国的文化，就是有这种强大的同化力量。所以lookbook还来不及看清楚中国人的穿着就被voguemate给抢占了江山。如果你是一个国外的知名品牌推广人，你会如何?还是眼睁睁等待长的像自己的兄弟莫名奇妙的出现在中国。

Building Cool Culture With Chinese Characteristics

Last year, my friend recommended Lookbook to me, I was really into street shoot websites then, I have seen a lot of street shoot websites, like the very cool Japan Street Style, but Lookbook has been successful because of its classifying and voting system. This also makes the website famous for its brand promotion and public participation. At the time I hoped they’d come to China or start a Chinese version, as it is sad that I barely saw any Chinese members at such a good site.

One of my good friends told me to check out the website (Voguemate) they created and I found out it is was a lot like Lookbook. They are also very popular. They agree that they use Lookbook for reference. Actually every designer (including clothing, architecture, graphics, furniture) knows that there is only a small gap between referencing and copying.

Back to the topic, as there is a massive desire in China from both market and people for new things, if foreign brands aren’t willing to adapt, then similar products will appear. How should Google deal with Baidu who owns such a huge market share in China? Ebay spent hundreds of millions for advertisement, yet it still cannot compete with Taobao and KFC is very confusing; how is it that it has a Chinese sister?

Chinese trends and Chinese culture have this strong power to adapt. Therefore, Voguemate seized the market while Lookbook was still figuring out Chinese style. If you are a well-known foreign brand promoter, what will you do? Will you also wait too long until your brand’s ‘brother’ suddenly appears?