BRADFORD, UK — In order to accommodate a growing business in China that is now at $3 million, Prestigious Ltd. in the UK is following up its original, small Shanghai based showroom with a much larger one in Nantong. “We feel there is a potential market in China for us in the $10-$20 million range,” says Trevor Helliwell, Principal. “Nantong is the location of our distribution warehouse which also contains a large showroom, of approximately 10,000 square feet. This is currently under construction but you can see the entrance on the photographs.” “I think that as far as the future of the Chinese market is concerned, as the wealth of the middle classes grows, the possibilities are unlimited with a population of 1.3 billion people.   However, in a real world and with the amount of Chinese mills also producing fabric, I would be pleased if in five years we reached $10 million and in the long term, to maybe double that figure.   Obviously this doesn’t compare with the sales in our domestic market here in the UK or our European sales, but in actuality, China can only grow for us over the next five to ten years.” “In China it is all about the perception of buying European style and quality and I think to some extent, the uniqueness and exclusivity.   It’s the same people that would buy a Rolex watch or a Mercedes car.   Generally in the Chinese market, they like the most luxurious/lavish product at the top end of our collections, such as printed velvets and high-priced embroideries.    These are more traditional based than the European contemporary style, and classical goods are still a big item in China.   The Chinese like to show their status.   However, they are slowly moving to buy the contemporary linen fabrics and not so much of the glitz with tastes maturing to the more sophisticated European style. They still like the stronger colors and are much more into jacquards and woven product than our printed products. “All our goods are sent directly from the UK, by air and it is very much a cut length business. We do have two books where we hold stock in our warehouse in China but the general business and wallpaper, is distributed daily from the UK as is the rest of the world.