First-class materials from Italy, elegant designs, delicate workmanship and specially-designed buttons made of shell and horn accompany a made-in-China label. Stavros Pirounis does not hide his excitement over the men's suits named after him.

Sanguine of the flourishing fashion sector, the president and CEO of Jin Tak Garments Co Ltd, a Tianjn-based apparel company, does not content himself with merely being a famous brand in the Chinese market.

He is ambitious in promoting his Pirouni brand and other brands of his company to European countries.

Jin Tak produces about 200,000 garments per year and exports half of its products to European markets, while the other half remains in the local Chinese market, Pirounis said.

"However, it is not easy to take foothold in the European market with major competition and big international brands," he said.

European consumers usually interpret Chinese products as of cheap price and low quality. "It is an obstacle for Jin Tak to expand its overseas market, especially in the high-end market," he said.

However, Pirounis is confident foreign consumers will gradually change their opinions about Chinese garments when they see Jin Tak's delicate products made with unique techniques.

"When users realize China-made clothes are of good quality and design, they will come to enjoy our garments and understand the brand is made with care and love in China," he said.

The 51-year-old Italian is enthusiastic about his career and believes more opportunities will come when more consumers overcome the obstacle in their minds.

Pirounis' years of experience in the fashion sector gave him a deep understanding over the differences between Western and domestic markets as well as markets in different regions.

After detailed studies on China and Europe, the largest Jin Tak markets, the company is making products which are diversified in design.

Pirounis told China Daily they are creating brands which match 20 percent Italian artistry with 80 percent Chinese ideas and resources for the Chinese market.

"This proportion reaches a good balance in China, and we can change the proportion for products targeting the European market in accordance with customer demand," he said.

Confidence in the China market

Jin Tak was co-founded by GFT, the Hong Kong CITIC Group and China's Tianjin Textile Group in October 1988.

GFT is one of the largest producers, marketers and distributors of garments in the world.

Pirounis bought all shares of GFT in Jin Tak in 2002 to become the largest shareholder of the company.

"I did it because I have strong confidence in the company's future and in the Chinese apparel industry," he said.

The company has been developed into a leading company in the textile and garment industries in North China over the past 20 years.

Since its establishment, the joint venture has attached great importance to quality and reputation, the weapons it uses to compete with its rivals.

Jin Tak now ranks second in terms of quality among nine GFT factories, only behind the GFT outlet in Italy.

Thanks to its strict quality control, the joint venture has obtained the exclusive licence for the production of Pierre Cardin in China. It is also engaged in designing and manufacturing some worldwide known brands, such as Joan & David, EQ & IQ and Jessica.

Although Jin Tak has been doing well in processing for international brands, it spares no effort to develop brands of its own.

So far it has built up brand names of men's wear, including Pirouni and Ianci.

Pirounis said his company places strict quality control over all of its products no matter if they are for domestic or foreign markets. He claims his quality standard is higher than the national average.

Quality has been deeply rooted in the mind of both designers in Jin Tak's design office in Shanghai and workers in its Tianjin manufacturing center.

High-quality fabrics, good tailoring and repetitious inspections contribute to a qualified garment.

"Our principle is simple: we use the best materials and the best workmanship to make our consumers look good and feel comfortable," Pirounis said.

He expects the company's exports to its major overseas markets will surge next year when all quotas restricting textiles and clothing trade between World Trade Organization members will be eliminated.

"The removal will facilitate exports of Chinese apparel enterprises to the United Sates and to the European Union, two major markets," Pirounis said.

Besides developing its own brands, Jin Tak also hope the enterprise will help improve China's fashion sector to an international level.

"We hope Chinese universities will serve the industry with more information and advanced know-how," Pirounis said.

University education focusing on textiles and garments should include the most advanced know-how in the sector, however technologies taught in some Chinese universities are often lagging behind those used in enterprises, he said.

(China Daily December 6, 2004)