China’s down jacket giant Bosideng makes its Paris runway debut

On the last day of Paris Fashion Week, Bosideng, a fashion giant with sales of over 3 billion euros, made its Paris debut. In an off-schedule event, the Chinese brand, a specialist in down jackets for over 40 years, staged a show among the columns and beneath the immense glass roof of the grand hall at the Palais Brongniart, in the heart of the French capital. Following its first event in France, held before the Paris Olympics at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, the runway show marked a return for the label to the City of Light.

From the entrance hall of the former Paris Bourse, the label signalled its intention to firmly establish itself in the segment and presented a timeline of its history beginning in 1976 with outerwear, then the production of its first down jacket in 1980, and its technical evolutions across the decades- particularly in recent years with its zero-construction approach, which introduces new volumes to its outerwear products.

For its first show in France, two years after its last appearance on the Milan catwalks, the flagship brand of the Bosideng International group pulled out all the stops with around fifty co-ed looks. The three-part show was brimming with details and ideas centred on the down jacket, underscoring the brand’s expertise in the field.

Head of style for the brand since 2017, Italian-Chinese Pietro Ferragina set out his ambition with the Master Puff collection to make the label the benchmark for the genre. “It’s a new way of approaching this category, no longer just to bring comfort and warmth to people, but also to make it a real ready-to-wear piece,” the vice president of style told FashionNetwork.com. “I think we’re the only ones in the market with this approach. I wanted to give new impetus to the Puffy style with volumes but also fabric treatments and original constructions.”

And indeed, the thrust of this collection is far removed from the outdoor or functional sphere. After an announcement over the loudspeaker and the sound of an airliner landing, the models set off through the main hall of the Palais Brongniart. Of course, everything revolved around the down jacket, but there was no lightweight underlayer here: everything was worn as the main piece, with lots (and lots) of volume- whether in oversized collars or inflated lapels- creating a distinctive look and a sense of comfort.

Men, in a new preppy mood, emerge protected by these oversized jackets, over which they casually tie their jumpers in deep shades. As if stepping off an aeroplane, the young women advance in short, asymmetric, floral-print ruffled dresses and monochrome, high-volume nylon down jackets. At arm’s length, they carry a travel pillow in the same print as their dress, and bags in acid-bright faux leather.

This “eco-leather” features prominently throughout the collection. It appears in loose, flowing men’s trousers; in a highly graphic, camel-coloured round poncho with a high collar stretching to the waist like a giant ruff; on a women’s aviator-style jacket; and in an interweaving of horizontal and vertical bands.

Beyond travellers, Bosideng is also targeting urbanites. Its jackets- constructed with a minimum of panels for a pared-back silhouette or, conversely, with a multitude of ultra-puffed horizontal baffles- offer modern options with real character. Chic iterations, for both men and women, play with generous collars and knotted belts to emphasise the waist- some even integrated directly into the garment.

The final act of the show brought a touch of exuberance. Again playing with exaggerated volumes, the collection featured five variations of theatrical evening gowns in deep plays on red and black, where the use of matt black fabric contrasted sharply with the sculptural volume of quilted coats and trains. Hoods, capes and cuffs are adorned with crystals, reinforcing the imagery of a queen of the night. A proposition squarely aimed at a Chinese clientele.

A charm offensive… for Chinese customers?

At the end of the show, one question naturally arises: what ambition is the Bosideng group pursuing with this event? Pietro Ferragina said he wanted to establish the brand in Paris for the long term, while Gao Dekang, the brand’s chairman, rose to congratulate the style director at the end of the show.

Bosideng is a giant in China, but apart from a huge flagship on Molton Street, which opened in the heart of London in 2022, the development projects mooted for Milan and Paris have yet to materialise. No doubt chastened by an initial unsuccessful foray in the 2010s, which saw the brand close all its international activities- particularly in Great Britain- the brand’s management says it is in no hurry.

“The internationalisation of brands goes far beyond simply exporting products or expanding distribution channels; it involves the cross-border flow and optimal allocation of various production factors, including brand influence, talent, capital, capacity and markets,” said the group’s management in response to questions from FashionNetwork.com. “Expanding a brand overseas is a complex and long-term process, requiring sustained efforts from the company in multiple areas such as strategic positioning, brand building, technological innovation and localised operations. Bosideng will relentlessly strive to grow from China’s number one down jacket brand to a global leader.”

However, it is currently managing its expansion in its home territory, with comfortable sales growth of 10% in its last financial year ended March 31, reaching nearly 17 billion yuan (2.03 billion euros) for its eponymous brand. The label has around ten lines, enabling it to reach different customer profiles, with its Puff Collection in Paris being the most experimental in terms of style and enabling collaborations, such as with the MSGM label.

The group generates 84% of its business, or nearly 26 billion yuan (3.13 billion euros), from its down jacket brands. These include Bosideng, Snow Flying, and Bengen and the business has a joint venture in China for Bogner and holds a stake in Moose Knuckles.

The group is hyperactive in China, where it explores opportunities on platforms such as Tmall, JD.com, and Douyin, and counts 21 million followers, driving targeted engagement across its different customer profiles. It is also banking on technological developments and artificial intelligence.

“We have set up an AI Lab to explore and build a new R&D model in apparel, based on AI and Big Data,” said the brand. “This gives us a competitive edge in AI technology algorithms and creative applications for down jacket design. By continuously iterating our AI algorithms, we have created a large model that truly understands the user’s stylistic vocabulary. This system enables a fully digital closed loop, from design to the garment’s virtual delivery.”

But Bosideng is also a giant in the real world. The group claims to have developed an intelligent factory model. “At the manufacturing stage, Bosideng’s smart factory boasts a 90% automation rate in key production processes,” claims the group. “We have implemented data-driven management throughout the process, from raw material warehousing to finished product despatch, thanks to our independently developed web-based platform for the apparel industry, GiMS. Intelligent manufacturing has not only boosted production efficiency, it has also led to a reduction in the carbon footprint per product.” The Chinese giant also maintains that its technological and environmental advances will be the pillars of its growth over the coming years.

These developments should benefit its network in China, which comprises almost 3,500 stores throughout the country, a third of which are in major cities. Bosideng also manages this business with great finesse, implementing a strategy of seasonal store openings that enables it to be as relevant as possible in terms of locations, with some 1,500 points of sale in this format each year.

Taking a close look at the group’s business, international sales amounted to just 1 billion yuan in its last financial year (130 million euros), down 28%. Neither the American market nor Europe feature in the strategic plans announced by the group’s management last March. Like many Asian players who seek visibility during Fashion Weeks, Bosideng’s main focus this autumn was probably to win over customers in its home market.