Brands that are actually produced and sold domestically, but after being registered in France or Italy, enter department stores and suddenly become "international brands," and can even be sold at good prices. In fact, these practices are no longer a secret in the fashion industry.
According to Zeng Fuhao, registering a brand overseas or purchasing an overseas-registered brand is no longer a secret. So-called fake foreign brands can generally be divided into three categories: one type where the production, sales, and brand ownership are all in China, just with a registered foreign-sounding name; another type involves registering companies and brands outside of China and then bringing the products back to China for sale; and a more recent method involves attracting foreign enterprises as minority shareholders, allowing them to openly promote their fake foreign brands.
Cadi Dony claims to be a German brand. During the reporter's investigation, many counter salespeople claimed their brands originated from abroad, such as France, Italy, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Spain, etc., with the majority claiming origins from Italy and France. However, the actual production sites of these so-called "foreign brands" were mostly located in Guangzhou, Shanghai, Fujian, and other places in China.
Cadi Dony, Jazz Dony, Florence, Mast, Laurent Dantone, DEICAE... During visits to multiple department stores including Tianhecheng, Guangbai, Guangzhou Friendship, and Beauty, it was found that many products carried "foreign brands," some even directly translating English names into Chinese. At a Cadi Dony men's wear counter in Tianhecheng Department Store, a short-sleeve polo shirt was priced at 1280 yuan, while clothes labeled with silk components were priced at 2680 yuan. The salesperson informed the reporter that summer clothing clearance could offer a 50% discount.
Similarly, another men's wear brand counter, Jazz Dony, claims to be an Italian brand, but upon searching Google, the trademark holder turned out to be "Guangzhou Jazz Dony Apparel Co., Ltd.," with information about recruiting franchisees.
Zeng Fuhao had previously acted as an agent for French and Hong Kong apparel brands in the mid-to-late 1990s. "That was the agency era, which allowed me to accumulate my initial capital. Of course, I also paid a lot of tuition fees along the way," Zeng Fuhao said. In those years, domestic brands surged significantly, with product names often leaning towards sounding foreign. Registering a foreign brand was quite easy, costing only a few thousand yuan.
Clearly, these are domestic brands that, once registered in countries like France or Italy, enter department stores and suddenly transform into "international brands," and can even fetch good prices. In reality, these practices in the fashion industry are no longer news. Recently, reporters in Guangzhou found that among some mid-to-high-end men's wear brands, over 80% were "fake foreign brands." Although this practice is not illegal, the act of labeling domestic goods with foreign brands carries a hint of consumer deception. Many consumers and industry insiders hope that relevant authorities will promptly define and regulate these "fake foreign brands."
Mid-to-high-end men's wear sees rampant fake foreign brands. Fashionable white-collar worker Ms. He, who often advises her husband on his image, has become more cautious since the "Da Vinci incident," paying attention to the registration location and specific production location of clothing when shopping at malls. She discovered that many "foreign brands" have registration locations mainly in Italy, Spain, and France, but their production and sales locations are all within China, without any stores abroad.
When asked about the origin of the brand, the salesperson confidently answered that it was a German brand. When questioned why the production location was in Guangzhou, the salesperson explained, "It's a German brand, but the products are made in Guangzhou. Nowadays, many foreign-brand clothing items are produced domestically; if they were fully imported, the price would be very expensive." Upon reviewing the brand's promotional materials, it was found that Germany was mentioned multiple times. Further inquiries on the website of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce revealed that the applicant for the brand was Li Changshun, with the registered company being Guangzhou Huicai Trading Co., Ltd., applied for in 2002.
PULL & BEAR claims to be a Spanish brand, with production locations in China, Turkmenistan, and elsewhere.
The General Manager of Guangdong Gonyo Industrial Co., Ltd., Zeng Fuhao, told reporters that over 80% of men's wear brands in today's market carry "foreign names," with most production originating from Guangzhou, Huizhou, and other places. He pointed out that women's clothing, due to its fast-changing trends, makes it difficult for fake foreign brands to keep up with the pace of women's fashion changes. On the other hand, business men's wear, especially mid-to-high-end business men's wear, is relatively easier to imitate compared to other types of clothing, with fewer changes and longer selling cycles, leading to the concentration of fake foreign brands in this area. "Men's wear emphasizes light style and heavy quality. If it doesn't claim to be an Italian or French brand, it basically can't command a high price."
For just a few thousand yuan, you can buy a foreign "birth certificate."