Asian Brands Expand Role at The Hub

HONG KONG — Asian brands were out in force at The Hub, a trade show started by Richard Hobbs and Peter Caplowe to introduce emerging Western brands to Asian consumers. Having completed the two-day run of its fourth edition on March 13, the trade show featured European brands hoping to catch a piece of the growth in Asia as well as Asian labels — from mainland China, Hong Kong, Korea and elsewhere — hoping to make further inroads in the region. “Asia is an interesting market not only for financial reasons but because the whole multibrand store concept is so new,” said Nick Hayes of Rack and Ruin, a U.K.-based denim brand. In the U.K., Hayes said, the midmarket has been taken over by high street brands, making it very difficult for smaller, independent labels to gain a foothold. “The market in Europe today is not good,” said Kristina Kartashova, a manager for Ukrainian women’s label Alonova. The brand has been around for 10 years but was exhibiting in Asia for the first time through The Hub. The number of multibrand retailers in Asia is growing, although stand-alone stores remain extremely important to branding. The growing popularity of multibrand stores is giving smaller labels

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