ANTA SPORTS, A “FUJIAN TIGER”
One example is a viral meme that translates to “one bird, two trees and three roads.” It describes the respective logos of a trio of high-end outdoor brands – Arc’teryx, Kolon and Descente – that are considered workplace must-haves for professionals.
All three labels are controlled by Anta Sports, China’s biggest activewear maker with a rags-to-riches origin story as a provincial shoe seller. The popularity of this trend has helped the retailer maintain its revenue lead over Nike, the dominate player for decades.
Waterproof parkas at Arc’teryx, named for a flying dinosaur, cost up to 8,000 yuan (about US$1,100). That’s only 2,000 yuan less than the median monthly salary of a megacity like Shenzhen. Outerwear at Kolon and Descente will set you back between 2,000 yuan to 5,000 yuan. Most of the buyers may never conquer any snowy peaks, but the brands have become status symbols that telegraph alignment with a desire to explore novel experiences.
President Xi Jinping donned an Arc’teryx jacket while touring Beijing’s Winter Olympic venues in 2021 and again a year later at the opening ceremony. China’s sportswear market is expected to have grown by 6.1 per cent this year, according to data from Euromonitor, outpacing the 1.5 per cent forecast expansion in general apparel and footwear.
https://www.channelnewsasia.com/commentary/china-outdoor-brand-anta-arcteryx-kolon-descente-5623396
