Natural Material, Natural Style

The Timberland shop of Beijing caught my eye as the elevator reached the 2nd floor of the Zhongyou shopping mall. The American brand landed in Beijing in 2006, where it offers the about the same goods as in the US: gentlemen’s casual wear, targeting 3 types of male clients -- expatriates living in the capital, Chinese people who used to live overseas, and high-income, white-collar workers influenced by Western culture.

The Timberland shop is decorated with simplicity and elegance. The main colors are brown and yellow, reminding us of the wood and nature theme of the brand. The promotional sign at the entrance was well in sight and yelled 40% ~ 60% discounts.

The merchandise is neatly displayed: shoes and hats in the back, sweaters, coats, and other outdoor wear hung on the racks. A thick sweater in a light blue color with a zipper in the middle looked especially attractive: originally priced at RMB 1780, it was on sale at 40% off.

Prices for casual wear ranged from RMB 1000 to RMB 2000. Shoes – Timberland’s shoe quality has become somewhat famous in China – were selling for between RMB 500 to RMB 1500, hats for RMB 200 to RMB 500. No bargaining allowed.

According to the shop assistant I talked to, most of the garments are manufactured in Guangzhou. The rest is imported from Bengal and India.

What I appreciated:

The light blue sweater

What customers appreciate:

Good quality, natural style