A fashion brand needs a local partner to feel at home
Marc Jacobs partners with I.T Group to navigate the complexities of the Chinese market.
The story
Marc Jacobs is expanding its presence in Greater China through a partnership with I.T Group, a Hong Kong-based retailer with over 280 points of sale. The deal includes new boutiques, digital commerce, and wholesale distribution.
Source: wwd.com
Our reading
It’s not enough to just have a good design; now you need a local partner who knows how to make your brand feel like it belongs. I.T Group has been selling A Bathing Ape and Off-White for decades, so suddenly Marc Jacobs is the new kid on the block who needs a translator.
The deal includes shop-in-shop locations, which means Marc Jacobs will be tucked between streetwear and designer labels, like a celebrity at a family reunion. It’s not just about selling clothes anymore—it’s about being seen in the right place, even if that place is a mall in Shenzhen.
And if you thought the fashion world was full of strange hierarchies, just wait until you see how the brand’s new ownership structure is trying to play nice with the old one. It’s like a high school drama, but with more handbags and fewer cliques.
