'Difficult but not impossible': CR Fashion Book's Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld on launching in China
The Glossy Podcast · with Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld · November 25, 2020 · 35 min
Summary
This episode features CR Fashion Book's President, Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld, who details the strategic decisions behind launching a magazine in China amidst political and censorship challenges. He also discusses executing a fully digital fashion show collaboration during the pandemic. The episode provides valuable insights into navigating complex international markets and adapting to significant business disruptions, offering a pragmatic approach for ecommerce operators facing similar expansion or crisis management scenarios.
Key takeaways
Launching in heavily regulated markets like China requires extensive strategic planning to navigate political landscapes and censorship, including adapting content and business models to cultural nuances.
Successful crisis management involves rapid adaptation and innovation; CR Fashion Book pivoted to a fully digital fashion show during the pandemic through a collaborative effort, demonstrating agility in unforeseen circumstances.
Strategic partnerships are crucial for overcoming operational hurdles and gaining new capabilities, as evidenced by the collaboration between CR Fashion Book and amfAR for the digital fashion show.
Effective leadership in challenging environments demands resilience, problem-solving skills, and the ability to inspire creative solutions from a remote team.
Understanding and adhering to local regulatory compliance and cultural adaptation are paramount for brand building and sustained presence in new international markets.
CR Fashion Book president Vladimir Restoin Roitfeld doesn't usually go the easy route. In the spring, as the pandemic threatened to make this a bye year for the company's fashion show, he pitched another event organizer threatened by the pandemic (amfAR, a non-profit supporting HIV/AIDS research and prevention) on collaborating on a fully digital show.
"We worked on it for about a month and a half. It was non-stop," Restoin Roitfeld said on the Glossy Podcast. "Everybody agreed to do a little runway very safely from their own house[s] or apartments, and to wear whatever they wanted to wear from their closet."
Another feat in the face of serious inconvenience: launching a magazine in China. "It's not an easy place to launch a publication, with the political difficulties or censorship that you have to also face," Restoin Roitfeld said.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Launching in heavily regulated markets like China requires extensive strategic planning to navigate political landscapes and censorship, including adapting content and business models to cultural nuances.
What does this episode say about brand & content?
Successful crisis management involves rapid adaptation and innovation; CR Fashion Book pivoted to a fully digital fashion show during the pandemic through a collaborative effort, demonstrating agility in unforeseen circumstances.
What does this episode say about supply chain & operations?
Strategic partnerships are crucial for overcoming operational hurdles and gaining new capabilities, as evidenced by the collaboration between CR Fashion Book and amfAR for the digital fashion show.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Effective leadership in challenging environments demands resilience, problem-solving skills, and the ability to inspire creative solutions from a remote team.
What does this episode say about founder & leadership?
Understanding and adhering to local regulatory compliance and cultural adaptation are paramount for brand building and sustained presence in new international markets.
