Trunk Clothiers to pilot own-brand wholesaling in China
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Gearing up to launch in China, UK menswear boutique Trunk Clothiers is considering a wholesale push of its own-brand offering.
It plans to trial this through Lane Crawford in Hong Kong, where it already has space, this coming autumn. MD Mats Klingberg says it will pilot a mix of own-label tailoring, shirts and trousers.
Trunk began collaborating with Lane Crawford last year with a tailoring space at its stores in the Central, Causeway Bay and Tsim Sha Tsui.
“Coming from a retail background, we have good experience as buyers,” says Klingberg. However, when it comes to taking orders “there’s a lot to learn”.
“We’re not really set up as a wholesale business. We work with many brands that are also manufacturers, so it would be a natural step for us to do our own thing. It offers more flexibility, because we’re less bound by the seasons. We can also develop our own things based on what we see selling well in the shop, and there’s the creative aspect, too.”
Meanwhile Trunk’s own-brand offering, which it introduced in 2011 with polo shirts and sweaters, is expanding to t-shirts, outerwear and leather accessories.
Trunk launched with a shop in London in 2010, followed by its accessories store, Trunk Labs, in 2013.
Questions & Answers
Q.Which specific product categories will Trunk Clothiers trial for its own-brand wholesale push?
Which specific product categories will Trunk Clothiers trial for its own-brand wholesale push?
Trunk Clothiers will pilot a mix of its own-label tailoring, shirts, and trousers through the wholesale push. These items will be trialled in Hong Kong this coming autumn.
Q.What is Trunk Clothiers' existing relationship with Lane Crawford?
What is Trunk Clothiers' existing relationship with Lane Crawford?
Trunk Clothiers began collaborating with Lane Crawford last year, establishing a tailoring space within their stores located in Central, Causeway Bay, and Tsim Sha Tsui. This forms their existing presence.
Q.What advantages does Trunk Clothiers anticipate from developing its own-brand wholesale offering?
What advantages does Trunk Clothiers anticipate from developing its own-brand wholesale offering?
They expect more flexibility, being less bound by seasons. They can also develop products based on strong sales in their shop and benefit from the creative aspect of designing their own goods.
Q.When did Trunk Clothiers first introduce its own-brand offering to customers?
When did Trunk Clothiers first introduce its own-brand offering to customers?
Trunk Clothiers first introduced its own-brand offering in 2011, starting with polo shirts and sweaters. This was a year after their initial London shop opened.
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