KEE HUA CHEE; "How is BritishIndia trying to promote tourism
as it sells its clothes and not a tourist destination?"
PAT LIEW, CEO OF BRITISHINDIA; "It is true BritishIndia’s core business is fashion and selling clothes. However a customer is
buying into a whole cultural experience that inspired those clothes. A heritage
that still leaves its imprint throughout modern Malaysia today.
"As the founder of
BritishIndia I knew many consumers in both the West and Asia held a nostalgic idealism about the days of the British colonial era.
"Thus a new fashion label to capture that nostalgia was born – BritishIndia. With this
insight and branding, the company created fashion designs based on revival and
reinterpretation of garments worn in those long gone days and applied modern
fabrics and manufacturing techniques.
"Displays and marketing materials were
designed to spark associations with a romanticised ideal of a privileged lifestyle
in a less hurried era while connoting tropical informality and warmth.
"The shopping
experience offered by this Malaysian owned fashion brand relates
back to these unique associations and representations of Malaysia. It has
enabled BritishIndia to take its place alongside luxury brands like Tiffany and
Ralph Lauren in shopping malls across Asia.
"BritishIndia, as a genuine homegrown international fashion icon, can
now lay claim as a worthy fashion tourism destination in the same way that tourists
flock to Jim Thompson in Bangkok, Hermes in Paris or Harrods in London to
experience the mystique of the brand and the experience it offers.
"As such, BritishIndia
is well placed to promote tourism in Malaysia. Its uniqueness and position in
the fashion tourism psyche enables it to promote the wider cultural, social and
physical attractions of Malaysia which are on offer.
"Malaysia is known as a
shopping paradise and shopping is ranked as the top participation activity for
tourists giving rise to the shopping phenomenon of fashion tourism. Tourists
are increasingly choosing shopping as a way to experience local culture through
an engagement with local products and clothes are obviously positioned to cater
to this choice.
"BritishIndia now
recognises that through its prime locations maximising visual awareness and
identity it can present and transmit images and messages of Malaysia which can
be viewed and taken away by the many tourists who visit.
"BritishIndia is proud to present this broader visual experience of Malaysia to the public to
encourage and develop emotional connections with all the diverse elements that
go to make up what call Malaysia."
KEE HUA CHEE; "Will BritishIndia overseas stores have the same
Malaysian themed window displays? In Malaysia tourists can see windows but they
are already in Malaysia."
PAT LIEW OF BRITISHINDIA; "We would love to bring
the windows to places outside Malaysia. Perhaps in the future.
"This year, in
collaboration with Tourism Malaysia and its Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign,
we have chosen our two most popular and prominent stores for maximum impact
with tourists –KLCC Suria and Pavillion.
"These windows which take days of
planning and preparation, employing powerful visual vocabulary are most viable
at such high profile site locations. As a result shoppers frequently pause to
feast their eyes or for photos.
It is true that the
tourists looking at our windows are already in Malaysia.
"However these days of
smartphones and social media, with images being instantly beamed around the
world, there is no guarantee they will be the only people seeing our
spectacular window displays.
"The important thing is
the emotional connection to Malaysia created through these windows and the
evocation of lasting images and memories which will be taken back home by the
visitor.
"And that visitor need
not just be a foreign visitor. There are many Malaysians who have seen much of
their own country and its diversity.
"We would like to think our themed displays
can inspire greater awareness and desire in Malaysians to experience other
parts of Malaysia. As a result domestic tourism would be stimulated.
"Above all else we
envisage that the spectacle of our windows and the reinforcement of our
branding will serve as an enduring testament of Malaysian sophistication in
portraying our culture and arts alongside other international luxury brands.
KEE HUA CHEE; "What are the advantages or incentives of
shopping with BritishIndia?"
PAT LIEW OF BRITISHINDIA; "I mentioned in
answering an earlier question about the experience the consumer buys into when
shopping at BritishIndia. For the tourist, BritishIndia hopes to continue and
strengthen its well placed position to promote Malaysia and fashion tourism.
"It is important we are able to maximise our exposure to foreigners and locals alike who may
want to experience the nostalgic memories of the British colonial and a bygone
era enhanced by colonial décor of easternised western designs while exploring
the premium tropical lifestyle brand on
offer – quality apparel suited for the tropics.
"BritishIndia has
developed a high quality product with a sophisticated, elegant and timeless
appeal to discerning Malaysians and tourists alike. It represents a
contemporary , international Malaysia, respectful and confident with its past,
today’s adaptation, and the aspirations and challenges of the future.
"That is why
BritishIndia continues to seek out high exposure prime locations so that it can
fulfill its commitment to Malaysian history and development on the
international stage.
"We make the emotional connection with as
many foreigners and locals as possible with our nostalgic take on a cultural
ambience, premium tropical ware and powerful window displays.
This is the experience
BritishIndia offers. That is why we have enthusiastically collaborated with and
in support of Tourism Malaysia and its Visit Malaysia Year 2014 campaign."
GO NOW AND ADMIRE AND TAKE PHOTOS!
BELOW ARE THE WINDOW DISPLAYS AT BRITISHINDIA PAVILION
1 comment:
What's more important than clothes is what face & body your wearing & who it interacts with
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