Exclusive interview with Mr Alan Chan of Chow Tai Fook Jewellery
mis à jour le 6 October 2015 à 23:51
There's more to the Hong Kong-based jewellery brand than just significant clout, the Director of Group Branding for Chow Tai Fook shares more
When eyes set sight on Asian jewellers, there are few forces to be reckoned with, one of them being Hong Kong-based giant, Chow Tai Fook Jewellery. The impressive brand prides itself for its comprehensive selection of stunning pieces - from mass-produced to high-end luxury - that caters to a wide clientele. After having established a strong foothold in Mainland China, Chow Tai Fook is now eager to expand to South East Asia with Singapore as its main springboard and while the brand has one store in Marina Bay Sands, a second one is already in the works.
So, ahead of the launch of the high jewellery collection that is inspired by Siem Reap, Cambodia, we spoke to Mr Alan Chan, Director of the Group Branding Department, who has a wealth of experience in brand management with corporations such as Jardine Pacific Group, Hennessy of LVMH Group and Gucci Group. Read on for his insight into jewellery trends, how the brand is leveraging itself and future plans in the pipeline.
Marie France Asia: What are some of the current jewellery trends in Asia and how are they different from American or European styles?
Mr Alan Chan: I would describe it as moving toward American styles and a particular category that is quite up and coming right now is fashion jewellery. In this part of the world, jewellery tends to be seen as 'wealth-keeping' just like buying a piece of gold is. Right now, I think people tend to buy more pieces but with lower value and they want to be able to change the pieces they wear to accordingly suit different occasions.
In America we can see that customers are more concerned with design and so they do not really care about the materials that go in but in this part of the world, consumers are concerned about the materials used in the product, while still taking into account design.
MFA: Do you think there is a synergy between fashion trends and jewellery trends?
Mr Alan Chan: I think fashion is more dynamic - there is Spring Summer and Fall Winter. Whereas for jewellery, the trend lasts longer. The good thing about jewellery is that you can wear it repeatedly.
MFA: How did the collaboration with Central Saint Martins arise?
Mr Alan Chan: It's our first project outside of Asia and we're working with Central Saint Martins because they're known as a design school.
We need a strong association between our brand and fashion and that is why we're collaborating with different personalities in the industry - designers to pop stars. On the other hand, it's all about corporate social responsibility. For jewellery students, it is difficult for them to produce because they will require a strong support when it comes to production. So in that sense, we come in to help students produce their designs and at the same time introduce it to the public. So we intend to provide a platform for these talented students and it will be an ongoing project. It can essentially become part of their portfolio as well.
MFA: Is there any opportunity for collaborations with design schools in Singapore?
Mr Alan Chan: Yes, we're open to that but the theme is the same that we want to help more young people.
MFA: Why was Cambodia chosen as the source of inspiration for this collection?
Mr Alan Chan: We started the high jewellery collection a few years ago. Basically, we've got a whole range of jewellery styles from mass-produced to the most luxurious of unique pieces. Every year, we'll have a one of a kind collection and with it we intend to tell a story. For example, two years ago, the theme was ballet and inspired by ballet dancers in Paris. Then designers will pick various elements from the theme that was decided to pick our materials for the designs - for instance pink diamonds to reflect ballet.
This year, we decided to go with culture as an overarching theme so after doing rounds of research, we found that Cambodia has a rich source of history and heritage that would make design elements very intriguing. From gemstones, diamonds and we even used rough forms of pearl into various designs to convey a message.
MFA: What are some of the key pieces in the upcoming auction?
Mr Alan Chan: From experience our customers prefer red, so Flamingo Rouge, The Chant and also the Halycon is good. Our customers generally want more elaborate pieces for the 'wow' factor.
MFA: How does Chow Tai Fook place itself differently from other fine jewellery brands?
Mr Alan Chan: That we are the biggest players in the world and that we have a much wider portfolio than any other brand. We offer a wide range of products that cater to a wide consumer base and coupled with the extensive distribution network, it places us differently from other brands. But that being said, we compete differently when we are in different countries.
MFA: What should consumers look out for when shopping for fine jewellery?
Mr Alan Chan: I think it's important to pay attention to design and the details. The second thing is to understand the inspiration and note if it gives you any emotional effect. Jewellery has the potential to do that and I think it's vital for you to connect with the jewellery before purchasing, just likes designer clothes.
MFA: What are some of the future plans for Chow Tai Fook?
Mr Alan Chan: We're looking to work on new initiatives to differentiate ourselves but it's difficult to differentiate in the jewellery industry. So that is why we're looking at unique ways, for instance to work with exclusive partners or to create new designs and get it patented. Collaborations are also another way and this helps to enrich our whole portfolio.
On the distribution side, we're looking to explore new markets. So for instance, we have a store in Marina Bay Sands and by the end of this year we'll have a store in ION. Our strategy is to go where Mainland Chinese go because they have the spending power and from there we'll learn about the varied markets and consumers so as to aim to appeal to a wider audience. Singapore is good because it's a multicultural society.
Tarandip Kaur
