Fantastic after-work event in a trendy bar in Beijing!

On 14 June, more than 20 alumni in Beijing got together for an after-work event at Unico in Sanlitun. Summer light, an elegant décor, high-energy background music and refined cuisine combined to create a perfect atmosphere for socialising. And since the date of the event coincided with the opening match of the 2018 FIFA World Cup, the conversation very quickly turned to football, with amateurs of the sport raising their glasses and shouting “Allez les Bleus!”.

Several new faces showed up on the night. They enjoyed being able to talk to other alumni about their studies in France and their new, budding careers in China. Among those who’d known each other a while, the conversations circled around the little hiccups in everyday life and problems encountered at work. SKEMA Alumni meetups are an opportunity to swap professional skills and find new job opportunities. They have been since the very first editions.  

We have noted with great pleasure that SKEMA Alumni Beijing now has over 100 members and that our alumni in Beijing and across the rest of China networking actively on WeChat.
We were very pleased to welcome Sam Shusen Go (SK 2013), founder of Elite Edge (digital fashion and lifestyle agency), who talked to us about his career and shared some advice.

A few words about Elite Edge

Based in Beijing, Elite Edge is a fashion consulting agency that promotes emerging designers from all around the world in the Chinese market. We have worked with brands like CR7 (owned by Cristiano Ronaldo), Jade Chiu NYC, Minime Paris and Atelier Bertavelle. When I launched the company, I implemented a digital marketing strategy targeting low-cost brands. Today, in addition to other consulting services, I help them to develop distribution channels, improve their sales and find strategic partners and investors in China. 

From the initial idea to its creation, can you tell us the story of Elite Edge?

Before arriving at SKEMA, I interned in a multi-brand fashion concept store in Beijing owned by a French lady and I fell in love with the creativity of the young talents. I think many young designers should be present in the Chinese market. I also noticed that business models, whether they are based on offline distribution or on digital marketing online, are completely different in China than anywhere else. Generally, designer brands find it difficult to break into this market due to the culture and economy. So I created Elite Edge to present the new edgy designers to the new Chinese elite, hence the name chosen for the company. 

How do you think your career has been the result of things you chose to do when you were a student at SKEMA?

Being a student of SKEMA definately changed my life totally. I have learned everything that I need to be in the Fashion industry especially in doing business. The classes were so practical and the knowledged that I have learned from there gives me confidence to pursue this career as an entreprenour in Fashion industry.  Secondly, I am benifits from the Alumni and professors connections of SKEMA, I have made some good business connections in the fashion world, it happens to me many times my business partner and I found out each other are both SKEMA Alumni we immediately get closer and do the business more smoothly!

In what ways do you feel your career has been shaped by the choices you made when you were a student at SKEMA?

Being a student at SKEMA completely changed my life. I learned all that I need to know in the fashion industry and particularly how to do business. The courses placed a lot of emphasis on practical application and the knowledge I gained there gave me the confidence I needed to pursue a career as an entrepreneur in the fashion industry. Later, I benefitted greatly from the people I had met at SKEMA, both students and professors. I have forged some good professional relationships in the fashion world and sometimes I discover that the person I’m dealing with also studied at SKEMA. This establishes a stronger connection and makes the collaboration much smoother!

Another trend is, China has such a huge population, the Fans-Econemy is very powerful. No matter what you do, just stay true to yourself and build up your core fans and followers, you will be supprised how sub-culture stuff can be loved by such a big crowd!

What are the main digital marketing trends in the luxury goods sector in China for 2018-2019?

The main digital marketing trends in China are, without a doubt, short videos and live streaming. The popularity of the Douyin app is growing fast and the Chinese people are becoming completely hooked. On it you can find lots of good quality short videos. And because attention can be monetised, brands are showing an interest in the app and starting to sponsor online celebrities on there. Also, Alibaba has added links to Tmall and Taobao on there, so when users see a product they can just click a link and buy. 

Another trend is the fan-economy, which has considerable power in a country as highly populated as China. No matter what you do, stay true to yourself and build up your core fans and followers. You’ll be surprised to see how popular a subculture can be!