BRAND name Swiss shoes and accessories appeal to buyers here because they are competitively priced and offer quality craftsmanship, according to a retailer of up-market products.
Rolf Kambli, general manager of the Bally fashion chain, said: ''Asians like European designs and brands which are seen as prestigious and of better quality than locally made shoes and accessories.'' He said brand names and labels were ''important to Asians and Swiss-made products are regarded as being made of superior leather and materials''.
Last year, Bally Hong Kong, which covers Taiwan, South Korea, Guam, China and the Philippines, had turnover of $500 million.
More than 220,000 pairs of shoes were imported into Hong Kong.
In Asia, Bally registered a 10 per cent sales growth in 1993. Turnover was $1.3 billion.
''Although Bally recorded a world-wide turnover of SFr1 billion (US$758 million) with a global profit of SFr71 million last year, in Hong Kong trade increased in line with the retail industry in Asia, where the markets were still buoyant - unlike in Europe,'' Mr Kambli said.
''Our imports increased in line with sales and the largest rise was in the garment range, which has started to take off in Hong Kong.'' Bally Hong Kong, which operates in partnership with Swiss trading house Cosa Lieberman, has expanded.
