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SCMP Reporter

YOUNG people and retailers are asking Santa Claus for a ''black'' Christmas this year.

  One of the most popular gifts under the tree will be Reebok's Black basketball shoes, according to leading retailers, who said the shoes are the season's ''cult'' possession.

  Iris Cheung, merchandising manager for Marathon Sports, which has 18 stores throughout Hong Kong, said: ''Reebok Black is the hot item among the youngsters. We see them being a major seller this Christmas.

  ''Each age group dictates what is popular. With young people, it is the NBA apparel, while the more mature go for more sophisticated items, like Sergio Tacchini tracksuits.''   Sophistication comes at a price with each of the designer tracksuits retailing at more than $1,000. The basketball shoes do not come cheap either, with price tags of $600 to $800 for the Black range and just slightly less for the clothing line.

  Has money ever been a problem in Hong Kong when fashion trends are involved, especially at this time of the year?    Retailers said it could be this season, as the industry was still waiting for the sales rush to begin.

  However, Terry Yu, senior product manager of Mega Stride Division, Inchcape JDH Ltd, agrees with the ''Black'' theory and predicts a sales boom between now and Lunar New Year.

 He said: ''Sales are going up quite a lot in the shoes and clothing lines. Basketball shoes are very popular at the moment, with the Black range the best of the lot.

  ''The demand for tennis shoes is still apparent but not as it was in the past, although in general our sales growth will be between 60 and 70 per cent over the festive periods.''   On a cautious note, however, he added: ''This year, the market is not as good as last year.''   Mega Stride Division, which distributes to more than 200 outlets in Hong Kong and owns St Andrew's Sports, said it believed it had identified a shift in the market and had moved with it.

  Mr Yu said: ''We sensed that people are looking for more outdoor equipment, like hiking shoes, which look more casual yet have the dependability and comfort of a good sports shoe.

  ''People seem to be getting tired of the traditional white tennis shoe and are looking for something with a bit more flexibility.

  ''We have also seen a demand for British Hi-Tec brand. This line is becoming very popular,'' he said.

  Marathon's Miss Cheung also said she believed consumers were getting tired of tennis and training shoes.

  She said: ''Rockport from America is becoming very popular. I think it must be the No. 1 walking shoe at the moment. They have the look of dress shoes but the comfort of a training shoe.''   As her company specialises in ''soft line'' products, Miss Cheung agrees that particular markets are being targeted.

  She said: ''The introduction of Sergio Tacchini clothing and footwear to Hong Kong is tailored to the more mature consumer who will spend over $1,000 on an item from the range.''   Most sporting goods retailers in Hong Kong are experiencing growing sales although many said that except for the NBA shoes there was no single item that stood out..

    Major manufacturer Puma believes it can capture a significant share of the Christmas market with its slightly lower prices than those of Reebok and other big name brands.

  The company's general manager in Hong Kong, Matthias Yeung, said: ''Tracksuits and tennis sweaters seem to be our most popular items at the moment. Polo shirts are also popular, and of course training shoes and sports boots.

  ''Our tracksuits retail between $300 and $400, which gives us an advantage over some of the other brands.

  ''Things, however, have been quite slow.

  ''We are hoping for much more movement, although it looks as though it will not be much better than last year.''     Although not giving away any figures, Mega Stride's Mr Yu and others in the trade, said they were still waiting for the shopping blitz to hit their stores.

  Mr Yu said: ''It would not be proper business practice to disclose figures but we are expecting around a 70 per cent growth in the lead up to Christmas.''   For the last few years, however, consumer spending over the Christmas and New Year period has barely kept pace with inflation.

  Winter sales in many stores last year started in early December with discounts as high as 50 per cent.

     A spokesman for the Hong Kong Retail Management Association was cautious, saying: ''I think it is going to be a good year, but I would say the growth of sales will be less than last year.'' 



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