Miiow apes H&M strategy

You Lin, the fashion entrepreneur behind the Maoren and Gulass brands, is to launch a new label, Miiow, that anticipates growing demand for affordable but fashionable clothing in China.
WE Worldwide Partners member company WE Marketing Group helped develop the Miiow brand and its positioning. "We think there is an opportunity in the marketplace," said Viveca Chan, founder of WE Worldwide Partners. "Consumer needs and wants are moving ahead of the market."
Local brands Vero Moda and Only have been doing well as consumers are starting to move away from the likes of Giordano and Esprit in the search for trendier labels, Chan explained, but Miiow aimed to fill a currently empty niche as tastes developed further. "We think we can be an upgrade of these two," Chan explained. "People are always moving up. We want to catch them."
The first Miiow stores are due to open in the autumn, backed by an outdoor and print campaign. The brand has eschewed the familiar celebrity sell in favour of an individualistic positioning, seeking to capture a cat's cool, self-confident and unpredictable character in its name and marketing.
Although You's long-term plans are to take the brand overseas, these values match the changing attitudes of young consumers in China, Chan added. "What the brand gives you is 'Unleash the cat in you'," she said.
This marketing approach, as well as its fast-fashion business model — pioneered by stores such as Zara and H&M — is a new step for a local Chinese label, according to Chan. "I have to give credit to the client," she said. "This is a bold move that not everyone would undertake."