In the mood for expansion – Italian owner wants to take Hong Kong fashion brand Shanghai Tang global
Alessandro Bastagli says brand will open stores in Paris and Milan, and expand online sales too
Shanghai Tang, Hong Kong’s home-grown fashion brand, will go global with stores in Paris, Milan and more cities on the mainland over the next two years, according to one of its new owners.
The company, which was bought by Italian textile businessman Alessandro Bastagli and other investors on June 30, will also expand its online sales channels to meet the demands of a new generation of shoppers, Bastagli told the South China Morning Post in Hong Kong.
The brand’s executive chairman, he was in town last week to introduce Shanghai Tang’s first collection after the takeover. All the clothes have been designed by international designers and have been made in Italy.
“Previously, many people took Shanghai Tang as souvenir shops for tourists who bought some Chinese style clothes or products when they visited Hong Kong,” said Bastagli.
“I would like to introduce a new chapter, where Shanghai Tang will become an international fashion house providing good quality clothes and accessories, with a Chinese touch, at an affordable price,” he said.
Bastagli, who was born in Florence, has more than 40 years of experience in the manufacture of luxury fashion. He is the chairman of A. Moda, which is a privately held manufacturer, and has worked with the who’s who of the fashion industry, such as Italian label Versace, and made products for many designer brands.