Retailer Bosideng ends UK contracts

The first collection designed for Bosideng was the spring/summer 2014 season, focusing on fine tailoring with fabrics from Italy, while keeping the brand's Chinese heritage "intact," Pretioushas said.

But Bosideng UK's trading has not been as buoyant as expected. "Last Christmas, I went to Bosideng's shop in central London several times out of curiosity. I found that most of its clothes carried discount tags during sales seasons. Even so, there were few people in the store," said Wang Yang, who works in London.

London seen as center of China-influenced fashion

Bosideng to consolidate market share in the UK

"I'd never heard of Bosideng before," London resident David Glonek said. "Normally we trust local brands or other famous brands. When the prices of the new brand are equal to local brands, I absolutely prefer local ones."

"As a Chinese brand which wants to attract British or European customers, they must build the reputation first," he said. Two sources at Bosideng UK confirmed to China Daily that its chief executive Wayne Zhu has not been based in the country for several months. Zhu is the founder of Bosideng UK.

Zhuhas said the rebranding is aimed to upgrade the value chain, from cost-effective apparel to top-quality designer clothes. If the London model is successful, Bosideng will take the same model to other European countries. Jason Denmark, director of retail operations, Bosideng UK, said the company hopes to capture Western sensibilities in its new lines.

"What we will achieve is to dovetail a subtle combination of Chinese and UK fashion-influenced design, using mainly European fabrics and manufacturing processes, to create this unique collection," he said.

The Chinese fashion brand, sandwiched between trusted local top-notch European brands and fast fashion's more affordable offerings, is finding it tough to position itself at the proper pricing, a British retail expert who declined to be named, said. The expert suggested Bosideng highlight its online presence and create a Western brand name to gradually build its reputation.