Knwls Takes On China With Room-sized Cat Installation in Downtown Shanghai
SHANGHAI — Charlotte Knowles and Alexandre Arsenault, the couple behind the London-based emerging label Knwls, will unveil a cats-and-dragons-inspired capsule collection exclusive to concept store ENG on Friday. The collection will be presented in front of a larger-than-life cat sculpture crafted from vintage leather at TX Huaihai, where all the cool kids hang out in Shanghai.
It will be followed by an after party at All, the trendy nightclub in downtown Shanghai.
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Celebrating the Year of the Dragon, the capsule features skintight dresses and tops adorned with hand-cut and printed dragon motifs symbolizing power, luck and courage. The cat element brings a layer of playfulness to the lineup with cat-ear hats and matching cardigans in gradient caramel and pink tones.
The collection also incorporates the brand’s partnership with Tencel, with a kitty long-sleeve top made from wood pulp-based lyocell. The piece comes with a hand-printed ceramic cat motif screen printed by a local artisanal print studio in London, using “BioBlack TX by Nature Coating,” a pigment derived from wood waste.
Arsenault said the pop-up is aimed at building a more direct and meaningful relationship with Chinese customers.
“We have been working with ENG for a little while now. We felt so disconnected from being so far away. We hope to gain a bit of trust from our Asian customers and make them feel like we are a real brand and not just something they see online,” he added.
The U.S. is the brand’s largest market, followed by the U.K., but Asia is growing fast. According to Arsenault, the brand has been producing some pieces in Guangzhou, China since last season, and the local reception is improving as K-pop helped drive brand awareness across Asia post-pandemic.
Laura Darmon, head of buying and business development at ENG, said Knwls enjoys a luxury positioning in China due to its focus on craftsmanship and limited distribution.
“The brand maintains a consistent image, both in terms of products and identity. Their customers are mostly confident, fashion-forward young or more mature women, typically between the ages of 18 and 40,” she said, adding that cat beanies, wool cardigans, printed tops and leather pieces are among the best sellers.
“Creatively, it is one of the most relevant designer brands today, as they maintain their craftsmanship while pushing the brand image to the next level,” added Darmon. “We collaborated on an exclusive collection last year, and it was a great success. Chinese customers love the brand.”
She believes that the giant cat would be a great way for Knwls to leave a good first impression in China.
“The idea is to encourage the audience to engage with it beyond just taking pictures. We want them to play and become part of the experience. You are all invited to climb it, chill on it.”
ENG is a subsidiary of the leading Chinese jacket maker K-Boxing, which operates more than 2,000 stores across the country and has done several shows in Milan for its high-end line Kb Hong.
Over the past five years, the retailer has managed to stand out in China’s competitive concept store boom with bold interiors and an exciting brand mix with stores in Shanghai, Beijing, Hangzhou, Chengdu and Nanjing. It is also a part of the Gentle Monster store in Shenzhen, where ENG curates some of the retail space within.
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