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人人书 > 杂志 > Success Story of A Minority Fashion Brand

Success Story of A Minority Fashion Brand

时间:2024-10-25 05:44:42

BystaffreportersJIAOFENG&MENGXIA

In2014ChenPingfoundedtheXinxiuyuan(NewEmbroideryStudio)EmbroideryCooperativeinherhometown,andregisteredherXiGuniangbrand.THEflamboyantrobeembroideredwithintricategoldenvinesandsapphireblossomsthatDeputyFuChunlioftheXibeethnicgroupworetolastMarch’sNationalPeople’sCongressmagnetizedtheattentionofallpresent.ItwasadesignbyXiGuniang(MissXi),thefashionbrandestablishedbyChenPingofQapgalXibeAutonomousCountyinIliKazakAutonomousPrefecture,XinjiangUygurAutonomousRegion.

MissXiproductsfeaturetraditionalembroiderypatternsandtechniquesoftheXibeandtheKazakethnicgroups.Justoneyearorsoafterstartingoperations,thisruralcooperativeisnowrapidlyexpandingitsmarkettoBeijing,Xi’an,Nanjing,andShenzhen,amongotherbigcities.

FarmertoEntrepreneur

ChenPing,45,wasborntoafarmer’sfamilyinQapgalinnorthwesternXinjiang.Intentonseeingwhatlifebeyondhervillagewaslike,aftergraduatingfromjuniormiddleschoolshesetoffforthecity.YearslaterChenhadmadeherfortuneandinvesteditinabeautysalon.Runningthebusinessmadeclearerthanevertohertheimportanceofeducationandprofessionalskills–advantagesthatruralwomensuchashergenerallylack.Thisrealizationspurredhertoenrollinajuniorcollegedegreeprogram.Upongraduation,sheopenedavocationaltrainingcenterforruralwomenandpeoplewithdisabilities.Herwinwinaimwastoimprovetheirotherwisebleakemploymentprospectsandatthesametimetrainaworkforce.

Themotivationforthiscamein2013,whenChenreturnedtoherhomevillageforChineseNewYear.Shenoticedthat,asinmanyunderdevelopedregionsinChina,mostoftheyoungervillagers,especiallymen,hadgonetothecitytofindwork.Theirwives,children,andseniorrelationswereconsequentlylefttomanageasbesttheycould.Lifeforherrelativesandneighborswasgenerallyhard.Sheponderedonhowshecouldhelpthemoutoftheirplight,andaftercarryingoutmarketresearch,hitontheideaofethnicculturalproducts,ormorespecifically,Xibeembroidery.

TheancientartandcraftofneedleworkispartofthefabricofXibelife,havingbeenaddedtothenationalintangibleculturalheritagelistin2011.In2014ChenPingfoundedtheXinxiuyuan(NewEmbroideryStudio)EmbroideryCooperativeinherhometown,andregisteredherXiGuniangbrand.

SocialResponsibility

Embroideryisanexactingskillthatdemandspracticeandpatience.Afteralongsearch,ChenhiredfourdesignersaccomplishedinthisXibecrafttogiveclassestolocalvillagers.Ittooktimeandconsiderablefinancialinputtotransformthesenewrecruitsintoskilledworkers.AtonepointshehadonlyRMB100inheraccountpriortotheirpayday,andsohadtomaxouthercreditcardandalsoborrowfromfriendsandrelatives.Sheneverthelesspaidthemstrictlyaccordingtoschedule.

Afterbusinessstartedandthedemandforthecooperative’sproductsgrew,Chenintroducedmachinesthatcomplementedthemanualwork,soreducingtheworkloadandincreasingefficiency.Sheshowedthereporterapillowcaseembroideredinalavenderdesign.“Ifthiswerehandmade,evenaskilledworkercouldfinishnomorethantwopiecesaday,”Chensaid.“Machineembroideryisverypopularnowadays,butwemustpreservehandembroidery.Itisanintangibleculturalheritage,andwecannotdiscardourtradition.”

Chennowemploys210embroideresses.AftercarryingoutasurveyineightcountiesinIliPrefecturesheestablishedembroiderycooperativesinfivecounties,eachofwhichsuppliedherfactorywithprimaryproducts.In2015shemergedthesecooperativesintotheXinjiangXijunEmbroideryandAccessoriesCo.,Ltd.Itsproductvarietiesnowexceed110,andthemonthlyorderforitsbest-sellingproduct–aspicepouch–approaches10,000.“Iplantoreformthecurrentmanagementofcooperativeslaterthisyearwherebyworkerscantakeordersfromthecompanyandworkathome.Theycanthentakecareoftheirfamilieswhileearninganincome.”Manyruralwomenprefertoworkthisway.

“WhenIpaidforthefirstcompletedorderbeforelastSpringFestival,allthewomenworkerswerethrilledatbeingabletochangetheirliveswiththeirownhands.ThisiswhyIstartedthisbusiness,”Chensaid.

OnlineMarkets

Althoughtraditionisamainaspectofherwork,ChenPingisentirelyopentocontemporarytrends.“People’sconsumptionhabitsaretransforming,sowemustchangeaccordingly.”Shefirstexperimentedwithonlinemarketingin2015byopeningastoreontaobao.“Computersweresomethingalientome.Ilearnte-businessmodelsfromcollegestudentsandyoungworkerswhohaveplentyofnewideas,”shesaid.Herfirstteacherwasher21-year-olddaughter,whogoestocollegeinWuhaninCentralChina.“Sheandherclassmatespostedpicturesofmyproductsonline,andhelpedpromotethem.Theyoftenpresentedproposalsanddesignedfashionableproductswithcartoonpatterns.”ThesalesvolumeofapillowbearingtheirdesignreachedRMB280,000duringthelastValentine’sDayweek.

AwareofthepotentiallytangiblebenefitsoftheInternet,ChenPingisconfidentlyandthoroughlyexploringit.HerproductsnowhavearobustpresenceonWeChatthrough2,000-plusdistributorsrunningaccountsonthissocialnetworkingapp.LastyearhercompanychalkedupmorethanRMB2millioninonlinesales,accountingforover60percentofitstotalsalesfigurefortheyear.

Tocatertothetasteoftheyouthandblendthemodernandtraditionalinherproducts,ChenPingplanstolaunchprogramsforcollegegraduatesatstart-upbasesininlandprovinces.“Researchanddevelopmentisourweakness,andwillbethecompany’spriority,togetherwithmarketing,thisyear.Iwillinviteexpertsfrominlanduniversitiestothecompany,tohelpusdevelopchicproductsthatcomplementcontemporarystyles,”theambitiousbusinesswomansaid.

“Forfuturegrowthwewillspecializeinindividualorders.Thisisafieldwithhugepotential,astoday’syouthdemandindividualityandingenuity.Singularityisthehallmarkofhandmadeproducts,andwearemovinginthatdirection.”

AnembroideressatworkonapieceoftraditionalXibeembroidery.theinternet

AwareofthepotentiallytangiblebenefitsoftheInternet,ChenPingisconfidentlyandthoroughlyexploringit.
   

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