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LAST WEEK IT WAS WITH A HEAVY HEART
that I packed my summer wardrobe away and
dusted off my winter boots and hats, and it
was more than a little depressing because A)
it’s now bloody freezing outside and B) I am
bored of last years clothes.
On hand to offer advice were Marion Rosset
from The Hat Lab and Sara Suarez Dominguez
from new shoe brand Biezhen.
Biezhen: It’s An Attitude
SO OFTEN IN SHANGHAI, cool places to eat,
drink and shop shut down before we’ve had a
chance to make them our new favorite place
to go. Whether the owner doesn’t understand
the market here, or the competition is just too
great, places regularly fold within a matter of
months and we’re left wondering why the
hell there’s a Family Mart in the spot where
that awesome hat shop that also served
smoothies used to be.
I
recently spoke with Sara Dominguez
Suarez, marketing manager for
Biezhen, the shoe brand that could
buck the failure trend due to the buzz she has
spent the last nine months creating.
Tell us about the brand. What does it mean?
What does it represent? What are the
foundations of Biezhen?
Biezhen means safety Pin [in Mandarin], an object
universally used and an icon for rock and punk
movements.
To us, it represents the union between cultures,
people, tendencies… The brand as a concept was
born after its creators had experienced China and
its underground scene for a decade, together
with years and years of exposure to different
music waves, trends and movements. It became
the logical reaction to one very simple lifestyle: a
brave and fresh attitude towards life.
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What have been your strategies to get a buzz
going for Biezhen? Do you feel people are
getting excited about the launch?
Starting a brand in a thriving market like China
was never piece of cake. My strategy was to
expose it through events such as the Dada Night
Market, MiDi music festival and DAFF to give them
a clear idea about what we do.
It’s not only about the shoes but about that
attitude that my team and I showcased in all of
these events. Social media was also key to us. The
way to market a product changes every second so,
although we do have a clear strategy, we kinda go
with the flow and let the brand develop for itself
in the most natural way.
What is special about the shoes?
Biezhen is a rebellious and brutally honest brand.
We make our shoes something more than just an
item to wear; it’s about an attitude. You can wear
whatever brand you want but if you lack that
attitude linked to that brand, it’s a waste of time.
Who can wear these shoes? Is it a certain
type of person you’re marketing towards, or
is it a ‘there’s something for everyone’ type
of thang?
Anyone who isn’t afraid or scared of what’s out
there basically! I couldn’t give you a target range
of age… we carry our age within ourselves; age is
not just a number.
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