Summary of Key Points
Brands such as Youngor and Hailan Home, which once dominated the wardrobe of Chinese men, are facing crises of brand aging and customer loss due to younger consumers abandoning the "success-oriented" fashion trends in favor of a more casual and athletic style. Each brand is adopting different strategies for transformation: Youngor has divested from real estate investments, acquired trendy and outdoor brands, and integrated distribution channels; Hailan Home has focused on youthful marketing and product adjustments; Qipiwang has shifted to a lighter outdoor clothing approach and content promotion; Jiumuwang is using technology to enhance its men's trousers offerings. While these efforts have shown initial success (e.g., growth in new businesses), the brands are still in a period of pain, as the decline in traditional businesses outpaces the growth of new ones, leading to significant profit pressures. The core challenge is to break away from the "old-fashioned" image and understand the need for younger consumers to dress in a way that reflects their true selves.
Why Have These "Dad Brands" Suddenly Panicked?
In the past, business attire was a symbol of success, and wearing a Youngor suit meant having status. However, today's youth perceive business wear as outdated and associated with middle age, preferring to wear hoodies and jackets over suits. A deeper issue is that the cultural logic behind these brands has collapsed—people used to buy businesswear to appear mature and successful, but now they want to be themselves.
For example, Youngor once relied on standardized production, offline channels, and understanding the needs of business men to generate revenue. However, this approach is no longer effective. While sales of suits can be boosted through promotions, the label of a "dad brand" repels younger consumers, which is more detrimental than just declining sales (the loss of this symbolic value is irreversible).
Brands' Self-Rescue Measures
Each brand is trying to prove that it's no longer the same as its traditional image:
- Youngor: Changing Focus from Selling Clothing to Building a Platform
After Li Hanqiong took over, Youngor cut back on profitable real estate and financial investments (realizing 8.4 billion yuan) and invested in new brands and channels, such as the American trendy brand UNDEFEATED, high-end outdoor brand Helly Hansen, and luxury children's clothing brand Bonpoint. It also acquired Intime Department Store for 7.4 billion yuan to control 88 retail outlets and renovated some of MBH's stores. Its goal is to transform from a traditional men's clothing manufacturer into a comprehensive consumer platform with its own brand, distribution network, and lifestyle offerings.
- Hailan Home: The Boss Takes the Lead in Creativity
The young owner, Zhou Lichen, creates viral videos that mimic popular TV shows and uses abstract humor to gain 300,000 new followers in three months. The brand has reduced the number of suits and shirts in its lineup and added more hoodies and jackets, hiring Huang Minghao as a spokesperson for its "Yuanqi" series. It also collaborates with domestic fashion trends and sports events, and its physical stores have been updated to look more modern.
- Qipiwang: Moving from Business Men to Travelers
The brand has shifted from emphasizing the "multi-faceted nature of men" to focusing on lightweight outdoor jackets that are windproof, waterproof, and durable. It has closed 98 stores to improve store quality and uses platforms like Douyin and REDnote for marketing, hiring Yu Shi as a spokesperson and collaborating with influencers.
- Jiumuwang: Focusing on Men's Trousers with Technology
Despite not chasing trends, Jiumuwang continues to sell trousers but rebranded its "business suits" as "tech-enabled men's trousers," featuring features like "space-grade fabric" and elastic anti-wrinkle technology. It has become a partner of the Chinese Olympic Committee, positioning itself as professional and technological. The message is: These are not your dad's old trousers; they are comfortable and sophisticated.
Transformation Results: Mixed Successes and Continuing Challenges
2025 financial reports show that new businesses are starting to perform well, but traditional ones are still dragging down the overall performance:
- Hailan Home: New businesses have stabilized the company. Although the main brand's revenue decreased by 2.4%, new businesses such as professional clothing (up 21.9%), women's clothing OVV, and children's clothing Yingshi (up 29.2%) contributed to a 3.19% increase in total revenue and stable net profit.
- Qipiwang: T-shirt sales are rising, but suit sales have plummeted by 24.5%, and sweater sales have decreased by 17.3%. Only casual T-shirts have seen a 12.6% increase, indicating demand from younger consumers.
- Youngor: The fashion business has seen a 9.3% revenue growth, but net profit was only 95.93 million yuan (out of total revenue of 7 billion yuan), with the majority of profits coming from investment activities.
- Jiumuwang: Core men's trousers sales have declined, and overall revenue has shrunk, with net profit growth relying on non-core investments.
In summary, new businesses offer hope, but they have not yet become a major source of revenue. The rapid decline in traditional businesses is putting significant pressure on the brands.
The Logic Behind the Transformation
The consumer landscape has changed, and so must the business strategies. In the past, the Chinese clothing industry focused on supply chain efficiency, distribution networks, and scale—whomever could produce cheap, durable clothing and open more stores would succeed. Now, the focus is on aesthetics, emotional value, and lifestyle. Younger consumers buy clothes to express themselves (e.g., wearing outdoor wear for vitality or trendy brands for individuality).
These brands have realized that they need to sell a "lifestyle" rather than just products. For instance, Qipiwang's "travel lifestyle" and Hailan Home's "youthful energy" align with the needs of younger consumers.
The Biggest Challenge: Breaking the "Dad Brand" Label
The hardest part of transformation is convincing young people that the brand has changed. For example, even after acquiring trendy brands, Youngor may still be perceived as a "dad brand," and Hailan Home's viral videos might be seen as attempts by the boss to appear younger.
Additionally, new businesses are not generating quick profits. Youngor invested 9 billion yuan in its new ventures, but the fashion segment's profitability is low, and new businesses account for only a small portion of overall revenue. The rapid decline of traditional businesses and slow growth of new ones create a time gap that all brands must overcome.
However, not transforming is even more dangerous: if brands continue to stick to their traditional approaches, they will gradually lose customers to the market. Therefore, it's necessary to make tough decisions for the sake of the future—after all, the next generation of consumers is the key to success.
In conclusion: The transformation of traditional men's clothing brands is essentially a battle to "rebuild relationships" with younger consumers. The brand that can first convince them to wear its products will survive.