Competitive Situation

CHAPTER 6

Competitive Situation

6.1 Direct Competitors

6.1.1 Vincci

Vincci is a very popular brand in Malaysia. It offers exactly the same product range as NOSE. Vincci is a brand under the also famous clothing and apparel outlet PADINI.

Padini began as a backend operation in Malaysia’s apparel industry, manufacturing, trading and supplying garments to order for retailers and distributors.

It has entered the new millennium as a major force in Malaysia’s multibillion textile and garment industry, a brand leader involved in the distribution and retail of its own fashion labels through 190 freestanding stores, franschise and consignment counters.

Vincci is the company's successful toehold in the lucrative but competitive women’s footwear market. There are plans to strengthen its dominant position with improved production lines and increased capacity.

Founded : 1975

Headquarters : Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

No. of store(s) : 39 in Malaysia

Similarities : Vincci provide a range of fashion apparel products for female.

Strengths : Well known local brand, strongly establish with recognizable brand, big amount of outlets.

Weakness : Weak CRM ethics.

6.1.2 Charles and Keith

Charles & Keith, the eponymous fashionable shoe brand from Singapore was launched in 1996 and since then captured the interest of industry insiders and the admiration of the fashion-conscious alike.

Dedicated to trendy shoppers, Charles & Keith develops a distinctive line of fashion forward designs that cater to market sentiments in fast velocity. Attention to product design and fashion trends is the driving aesthetic force of Charles & Keith as the brand continues to provide shoppers with a plethora of stylish footwear and accessories to complement and complete their wardrobe.

From its humble beginnings in 1996 at a 300 square feet store in Amara Shopping Centre Singapore, Charles & Keith has made significant growth, and to date, covers more than 200 stores across 26 countries including Bahrain, Brunei, China, Cyprus, Egypt, Estonia, India, Indonesia, Iran, Jordan, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Latvia, Lebanon, Lithuania, Malaysia, Myanmar, Oman, Pakistan, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Thailand, Turkey, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam.

The worldwide uniformity of the brand is managed by the Charles & Keith International division, strategically guided by its successful franchise model.

Founded : 1996

Headquarters : Tai Seng Link, Singapore

No. of store(s) : 10 in Malaysia

Similarities : Charles and Keith provide a range of fashion apparel products for female.

Strengths : Sought-after and preferred fashion brand in today's highly competitive world.

Weakness : A brand that is still new in the industry.

6.2 Indirect Competitors

6.2.1 Topshop

Since it launched in 1964, Topshop has become a major style authority and one of fashion’s biggest success stories. Capturing the zeitgeist every season, its brave and irreverent approach to style has captured the imaginations of fashion-conscious shoppers and industry insiders alike.

With around 300 stores in the UK, and over 100 in international territories - including our US flagship in New York - Topshop’s triumph has been all the more remarkable considering its humble beginnings. Topshop began in the basement of Peter Robinson department store in 1964 and less than a decade later became a stand-alone retailer. In 1994, the iconic Topshop flagship was born, as the brand took over the entire 90,000 sq ft space at London Oxford Circus. It remains there today, and is considered the world’s largest fashion store on the high street, attracting over 200,000 shoppers each week.

Part of the long-standing retail force the Arcadia Group, it is Topshop’s individuality that has earned it worldwide respect. A staunch supporter of young British design talent, it has sponsored the globally recognised New Gen scheme since 2002, which has bolstered the careers of fashion heavy-weights such as Christopher Kane, Jonathan Saunders, Marios Schwab and Louise Goldin.

Founded : 1964

Headquarters : London, United Kingdom

No. of store(s) : 9 in Malaysia

Differences : Topshop is a clothing and apparel brand that includes garments.

Strengths : An early pioneer of high street and designer collaborations such as Celia Bertiwell and Kate Moss.

Weakness : Price that do not match the quality. Expensive.

6.2.2 Mango/MNG

MANGO is an internationally famous multinational which designs, manufactures and markets women’s and men’s clothing and accessories.

At present, MANGO has over 8,600 employees, 1,850 of whom work at the Hangar Design Centre and at its Headquarters in Palau Solità i Plegamans (Barcelona). However, beyond the statistics, it is made up a young and enthusiastic team, with an average age of 30, and 80% of which is female.

Hangar Design Centre, the biggest design centre in Europe, has a total surface area of 10,000 m2 and houses more than 550 professionals dedicated to creating fashion garments and accessories for women. The Design, Purchasing and Quality departments are located there.

The central offices have a total surface area of 150,000 m2 and their own structure, which comprises the departments of Image and Advertising, Property Management, Expansion, Production Control and Stores Distribution, Store Architecture and Interior Design, in addition to Logistics, Administration and IT systems.

MANGO currently has a total of 1,700 stores in 100 countries worldwide. Our expansion continues with the recent openings have taken place in cities of the stature of Tokyo, Beijing, Erlangen or Verona.

Founded : 1984

Headquarters : Barcelona, Spain

No. of store(s) : 16 in Malaysia

Differences : Mango is a clothing and apparel brand that includes garments.

Strengths : Strong concept, a big team and strategic logistics system.

Weakness : European sizes that does not suit Malaysians.