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Rimadesio's Hong Kong store will serve as a "point of reference" for the company's high-end clientele
in Asia
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An upscale Italian interior design brand has set up its Asian base in Hong Kong to cater to the region's growing high-end clientele.
Rimadesio first entered the Hong Kong market two years ago through a partnership with Hong Kong interior products store Mooi, and saw vast potential for their products. According to Gabriele Caprotti, Export Manager of Rimadesio, setting up a flagship store, which officially opened last month, was the logical next step.
"It's important not just to be in Hong Kong but to have a showroom here," he said. "Our clients need to be able to touch the quality of our merchandise and compare it with other products available on the market."
Glass Act
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Rimadesio CEO Luigi Malberti is excited about setting up the company's Asian flagship store in Hong Kong
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The company, based in Giussano, just outside Milan, started out as a family glassworks business in 1956. A regular exhibitor at the prestigious Milan Fair for furniture and interior design, the company built its name in Italy and Western Europe by designing and manufacturing doors and furniture using state-of-the-art glass and aluminum. In the process, they acquired several design certificates and patents.
In 1992, the company branched into a new product line, using innovative and technologically advanced techniques for large interior partitioning spaces, including doors, sliding panels, shelving systems, wardrobes and tables.
With the European market already "saturated," the company started looking for opportunities in the United States, where it has stores in New York, Chicago and Boston. Now it has its sights set on a new market. "We're excited about coming to Asia," said Rimadesio CEO Luigi Malberti.
According to Mr Caprotti, the Hong Kong flagship store will be "a point of reference" in Asia, serving clients in Korea, Japan and Singapore, from where Rimadesio also enjoys a wide following.
Setting up in Hong Kong is also an important springboard into the lucrative Chinese mainland market. "Many mainland Chinese look to Hong Kong for style, much like the rest of Italy looks to Milan," he said. The company plans to open three showrooms on the mainland by the end of the year, in Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai. Taiwan is also in the company's plans.
Niche Market
Even with today's economic climate, Mr Caprotti said now was a good time to launch in Asia. "It's important to set up at this time because it shows that we're an established company." He readily admits Rimadesio is not focusing on the mass market. "We're targeting the elite that want quality products, and we believe there is great potential in this region. We're looking to build a niche market here and create a brand in China. That's why working from Hong Kong is good, because we can also collaborate with developers on luxury residential projects.
Having set up in Hong Kong, the company believes it now has a first-mover advantage in the region, allowing it to set the standard for others in the business. Mr Caprotti, who has been the company point man in the region, is upbeat that "this is just the start of big things."
Related Link
Rimadesio
