CHINA: Kylie Minogue performs at pre-launch party of H&M as the chain opens its first store in mainland China

Australian pop star Kylie Minogue performed a medley of her hit songs on Wednesday (April 11) during the pre-launch party of global fashion chain Hennes & Mauritz (H&M) in the Chinese financial capital of Shanghai. The party took place as H&M geared up to open its flagship store in central Shanghai on Thursday (April 12), its first in mainland China. Minogue treated more than a hundred Chinese and foreign guests and celebrities to a mini concert at Shanghai's Science and Technology Museum in the eastern front of the city. The medley of songs included the hit tunes of "Can't Get You Out of My Head" and "Spinning Around". The museum was transformed into a massive party area complete with disco balls and flashing stage lights. Choir girls and dancers joined Minogue on stage while she performed for the crowd wearing a H&M sundress from her beachwear collection. Minogue was chosen to head the Swedish clothing giant's beachwear campaign in March this year. She follows in the footsteps of "Material Girl" Madonna, who has designed an H&M clothing line and fashion gurus such as Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney. Minogue, who shot to fame in the TV soap Neighbours, launched her "Showgirl Homecoming Tour" in November last year after treatment for breast cancer. She announced in early February she was splitting with Olivier Martinez, ending their four-year relationship together. Minogue said she was heavily involved and hands on in the makeup of the "H&M loves Kylie" beachwear series. "I don't say that I designed this, this range. But it's definitely designed with me in mind and through my personal style. And yes I had all the different proposals, didn't say 'yes yes' until we got the final print and we worked on different styles. I would bring them samples of a vintage bathing suit that I had. I sent them photographs by e-mail when I was on tour, so I was quite involved in that way," she said. Minogue added her range of beachwear apparel would be "fun and accessible" to all women. On Thursday morning, hundreds of people thronged central Shanghai for the opening of the H&M store. The crowd, made up of mostly Chinese women, had to wait for almost an hour in the queue before the fashion giant opened the doors of its store at 11 a.m. local time (0300GMT). The company is betting on its celebrity collections and pop icon advertising to help achieve brand awareness in countries like China where the Swedish brand is less well-known. Twenty-six-year-old Vivian Cheng said she had only learnt of the H&M brand in local magazines recently and decided to go to the launch to check out their clothes. "Their designs are most suitable for people of our age. Also, the pricing of the clothes are of medium range. So I came to see the quality of their clothes, and if they are good, I might buy quite a bit," she said. Others welcomed the arrival of moderately priced foreign brands into China. "The consumption strength of Chinese people is quite strong. Now, people of middle class incomes are looking to buy branded goods and fashionable clothes. But in China, our choice is quite limited, we can only get those top brands in big department stores. For stores such as Zara, H&M and MNG (Mango), with their moderate pricing and good design... these cheap clothes, there were not a lot in the past, so it's good, I am shopping and buying every week," said 27-year-old Nicola Huang. The mass-market retailer plans to target the growing ranks of middle-income consumers in China, and chose to launch its beachwear line in Shanghai four weeks before its global launch. H&M's chief executive Rolf Eriksen said his company is planning more stores in Asia and believes that China will eventually be comparable to its European business. He added that H&M, which opened its first Asia store in Hong Kong last month, plans to have four stores in Hong Kong by the end of this year, another two in mainland China, one in Tokyo in 2008, and is negotiating for a second Japan store. The retailer has about 1,400 stores in 28 countries, and Europe accounts for the majority of its sales. Germany, the United Kingdom and Sweden are its biggest markets. H&M, which opened its first store in Sweden in 1947, will make its first foray into mainland China through its store opening in Shanghai. Spanish rival Inditex operates three Zara stores in the city, while U.S. rival Gap Inc. has yet to set up shop in the country.

ITN Source | April 12, 2007

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