Crowd welcomes opening of Bossini's first outlet

BOSSINI has opened its first mainland outlet, adding to the growing list of Hong Kong garment retailers in China.

At the same time, it announced it would be spun off as a separate Hong Kong listing from parent Laws International Holdings.

And as an incentive to shoppers, Bossini is organising a concert featuring Hong Kong Cantopop stars in Guangzhou for shoppers who spend at least 350 yuan (about HK$470 at the official rate) at the shop.

The shop is two doors away from a Giordano outlet and diagonally opposite a Crocodile. Theme and Reno shops are not far away.

''It is good for shops of the same kind to be located together,'' said Bossini International president Henry Law Ka-sing. ''That will make the area busier and shoppers looking for casual wear will know they should come here.'' The shop is beginning operations as concerns grow about casual wear retailing in China, due to losses at Giordano's China operation and the country's austerity drive. But Mr Law said the crackdown would be good for Bossini in the long term.

''Businessmen should have vision. It won't do us any good if everybody rushes in to buy like mad but only for a short while.'' Enthusiasm did not seem in short supply at the opening, which was due at 5 pm. Hundreds of eager youngsters had crowded in front of the shop by 9 am.

As the crowd stretched to the road, the police asked some people to leave. Most would not budge, as children perched on parents' shoulders waiting as if for a spectacular show.