Edgy and provocative are how United States company No Rules describes its designs. Exhibiting at the HKTDC Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair in January, the brand showcased its eye-catching collection of skateboards, t-shirts and shorts, designed to turn the head of any tweenie.

From its humble California beginnings back in 1994, No Rules has since extended its reach across the world. In Six Questions, company president John Labaysse outlines No Rules’ global ambitions – and what has made the brand so successful.

What brought you to this year’s Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair?
Mike Horne and Mark Law, the directors of No Rules Global, our licensing company, really were the drivers behind us showing at the Hong Kong fair. Together, we felt that the Hong Kong Toy Fair would be a perfect platform in which to capitalise on the growing international success and resurgence of the No Rules brand, both here in Asia and in North America. We really thought it would be the best place to expand our business overall.

Tell us about the people you met at the Hong Kong toy fair and what was the response to your products?
Hong Kong, of course being one of the centres of trade, gave us an opportunity to talk to a lot of international buyers from around the world. We had really a good mix of people from Europe, North America and Latin America plus, of course, Asia. We had a great turnout and an unbelievably positive response to No Rules and our product offering. They really liked our brand and showed what we believed all along – this brand crosses through cultural barriers and lends itself well in every market. All kids in every culture have very similar needs and wants. Who doesn’t want to be cool?

How have you expanded your business in Asia – and China in particular – over the last few years?
I have been fortunate to have found a great partner in China and we have invested a great deal of time and money in developing a chain of No Rules stores in China, specifically around Shanghai, which personify the “hip and attitude-driven” brand and lifestyle. We have also developed an extensive array of really fun and cool-looking skateboards, scooters, bikes, fingerboards, bodyboards, snowboards, backpacks, stationary and many other accessories that complement our apparel lines. You name it, anything cool and trendy teenagers need, we are on it.

What would be the one piece of advice you could give to businesses that want to expand into the mainland?
Going into China is not for the faint-hearted; you have to have patience and a clear strategy. Anyone thinking that China is one big seamless market is reading too much into the media hype. China is a complicated market with many different borders, needs and wants across the region. You have to attack your business step by step. I have always compared the complexities in the overall China market to that of the European Union, with all of the different countries, cultures, languages and regulations. Well, at least in China there is one unifying language.

Tell us how you got involved in the No Rules brand.
As you can imagine, everything in business is not always carefully planned. I stumbled upon the brand a few years ago and saw an enormous potential for the international markets, specifically in Asia, in boys’ and girls’ apparel. Understanding the allure of Western brands in China, and No Rules being one of the best southern California brands for tweens and teenagers, it was a natural fit to bring the brand from the West to the East.  

No Rules excites me because it is fun. We get a chance to develop products for kids, and we certainly do not take ourselves too seriously. Plus, it is always exciting to be part of something bigger than you, something that will outlast you and me; like developing the No Rules brand and being part of China.

What are the challenges for your brand in Asia over the next 12 months?
No Rules is still a small player compared with the major players in the market, so exposure and market penetration are always a challenge. But we are seeing a tremendous “craving” from the consumer, and this goes across every market, from the US to China: the consumer wants to be offered something more meaningful than what is out there. They want something that relates more specifically to their daily lives, something they can identify themselves with, something that will help them “stand out” and be noticed, and that is exactly where No Rules wants to be.