At London Fashion Week in February, Eve Cina became the first Chinese men's clothing brand to appear at the major apparel trade show. Aiming to express with its line of clothes Qi, which in Chinese lore is the essence of life and the inner power of beauty, the brand's debut is not only a sign of its ambition to look overseas for new markets but of an untapped market for Chinese menswear.

"There's this vast pool of opportunities," Joelle de Montgolfier, director of Bain & Co's division of consumer products, retail and luxury practices, told Women's Wear Daily. "The reality is that there is a market out there that is untapped, with emerging markets and a change in buying habits with men more concerned about the way they dress."

A small group of Chinese menswear brands, including Vlov, a designer and manufacturer headquartered in Xiamen, Fujian province; Zuoan, which distributes its clothing to stores and is headquartered in Shanghai; and Jefen, based in Beijing, are currently testing the international market.

"Although we have established three studios with 20 designers in Paris, London and Milan, we began our entry into the European market with the London show," said Xia Hua, chairman of Beijing-based Eve Group, which owns more than 400 boutique men's shops around China.

Eve Cina will be positioned as a high-end brand with designs that incorporate Chinese elements. A coat will be priced at more than 6,000 yuan ($951), and a button-down shirt at more than 3,000 yuan, prices that would make Giorgio Armani fans blush.

Since its five clothing labels - Eve de Uomo, Eve Cina, Notting Hill, Kevin Kelly and Jaques Pritt - were incorporated to form Eve Group in 1994, the company has specialized in high-end men's wear.

Xia said the company will focus on expressing Chinese philosophy in the brands, based on historic Chinese handicrafts and refined aesthetic texture patterns.

One line from Eve Cina is called Mountain Water and features traditional Chinese landscape paintings from the Song Dynasty (960-1279). The style of Eve Cina's menswear aims for the cultural elite and scholars, while the words "Grace" and "Restraint" describe its women's line.

"Many famous fashion brands have designs integrating Chinese history and culture, but I think the market has room for purely Chinese designs," Xia said.

Su Baoyan, secretary-general of the China Fashion Association, said Chinese menswear brands need to improve their marketing strategies.

"A lot of them have opened design studios in Europe or the United States, or have tried to participate in important shows, but a critical mass of Chinese menswear brands has not formed in the market. In general, they are just testing and advertising in the market," Su said.

Vlov is another brand testing the waters. In November, its men's collection was presented at the Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week in New York. The lifestyle brand targets middle-class men between the ages of 18 and 45. It works with 12 distributors who sell throughout China.

"After the show, some buyers came to my studio in New York, and we are now discussing cooperation and marketing in the new marketplace," said Wu Qingqing, the founder of Vlov.

But it will be some time before Chinese menswear brands find their way in the overseas markets. Although some have gained some exposure, they have to grow their abilities to brand the label, manage the company and broaden their visions, said Su.

yaojing@chinadaily.com.cn