Suitsupply: Expanding into China?

Tania Habimana, Lukas Held, Julija Babre, Willem Hulsink

Research output: Memorandum/expositionTeaching caseAcademic

Abstract

Suitsupply was founded in 2000 in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. The vertically integrated company made its breakthrough in the Dutch suit market, a market highly saturated by up-market luxury brands and a few lower-end and low-quality brands, by offering bespoke high-quality suits at accessible prices. Through using provocative marketing techniques, challenging retail regulations and laws, and educating consumers on overpricing by its competitors, Suitsupply had successfully expanded to the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Lithuania and Belarus by 2012. With the Western market conquered, the founder of Suitsupply picked up a new challenge: China. The rise of the Chinese economy had introduced a new subset of Chinese consumers: the “nouveau riche” — consumers exclusively attracted to expensive international brands to demonstrate their newfound wealth and luxurious lifestyle. With this in mind, the founder wondered how “accessibly priced” Dutch suits would be perceived in this market. Would Suitsupply’s provocative approach to marketing and its audacity in the face of retail regulations and laws be sufficient to pierce the market of conservative, government-controlled China?
Original languageEnglish
Number of pages11
Project No.8B14M105
Finished25/11/14
Publication statusPublished - 25 Nov 2014

Publication series

SeriesRSM Case Development Centre
Number8B14M105

Bibliographical note

Based on field research; 11 pages.
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Series

  • RSM Case Development Centre

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