Alumni Story QIN Mengjie: Accept No Limits and Do What You Love

Soft and elegant, fine-tuned and flexible, QIN Mengjie herself mirrors the qualities of MAISON SONZHOU, the brand that she founded focusing on silk luxury. From her childhood where the idea of doing a small business came into being, to the years she spent at KEDGE Business School learning marketing and brand management, up till the creation of MAISON SONZHOU, Mengjie has always been doing what she was passionate about.

Recalling the entrepreneurial experience since age 25, Mengjie feels lucky enough to have started her own business when she was young and bold, tried to find new solutions and rebuild the team in the face of setbacks, as well as kept on innovating and improving products as response to the market changes. As a consequence, the brand “MAISON SONZHOU” has obtained a considerable number of loyal customers: Mengjie has reached her goal of working for herself by doing what she loves.

 

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The road to entrepreneurship: do what you love

Influenced by her family, Mengjie has always been interested in doing business. During the undergraduate period, she paid special attention to “brand management”. In her view, in addition to profit, doing business is also a process of creation and innovation. Representing a spiritual symbol and a value concept, brand reflects the creativity of the company and is the core of its competitiveness. Therefore, during her last year of undergraduate, she began to look for a business master programme in brand management.

"When I looked through a magazine about overseas business schools, I read an article written by Professor Michel GUTSATZ from KEDGE Business School. The article analyzed in detail how the subtle differences of a product, such as a pair of leather shoes with different colored shoelaces, could tell a brand's characteristics and values, thereby providing a premium and added value to its customers. The Professor's point of view refreshed my understanding of brand and made me yearn for attending his courses."

After that, without any hesitation, Mengjie applied for the MSc Marketing & Brand Management programme of KEDGE Business School. In addition to her admiration for the Professor, the long history of the school and the pleasant Mediterranean climate in Marseille (where the campus is located), were also the main reasons why she chose KEDGE.

Looking back on her two years at KEDGE, Mengjie said she benefited a lot from both professors and French classmates: "KEDGE professors are equipped with extensive corporate work experience. They share the latest business practice cases on classes, involving companies from different industries to give pertinent evaluations and suggestions of optimization to students for their business simulation projects. As for French students, they are very imaginative and quite open to new things. Once they have a clear goal, they will devote themselves to it with attention to every detail." With a strong belief in doing what she loves (even if it's a bit risky) and the business knowledge and practices learned at KEDGE, Mengjie finally decided to start her own business after graduation.

 

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MAISON SONZHOU: accurate market positioning and integrated operations

At KEDGE, Mengjie paid special attention to the study of the brand management of luxury goods. Frequenting fashion boutiques became one of the major activities for her after-school hours in France. There, she found the silk goods of western simplistic design were quite popular with the customers as they were more adapted to modern and everyday look, expressing a unique charm that combined fashion and high-quality.

However, will it work to build such a high-end brand focusing on silk products in the China market? It is a question worth thinking about. In terms of production, China has a long history of silk making, and its silk products are world-renowned. Compared to the silk products imported from the western world, a company that makes and sells silk products in China can give full play to the leverage of technology and price. In terms of market demand, with the continuous process of China's modernization, the demand for high-end silk products in line with the modern aesthetic will be non-negligible. Besides, it is also the business and cultural responsibilities for a Chinese running silk business to inherit and promote the “Silk Road” culture, bringing China’s modern excellent silk products to the world market. Coincidentally, Mengjie met a British designer who was obsessed with Oriental culture and silk products. With all the favorable conditions, “MAISON SONZHOU” was founded.

"SONZHOU", an ode from the French Chanson, the oldest collection of poems in China "The Book of Songs" - "Wind", "Ya", "Ode". Ode is also praise, eulogize. Zhou is not only the Zhou Dynasty, but also refers to Zhou Li, also refers to comprehensive and thoughtful. The word Zhou has endless implications. The breadth and depth of Chinese characters are fully reflected in the "zhou".

At present, “MAISON SONZHOU” has established stable sales channels and a number of loyal customers. According to Mengjie, it results from the whole team’s efforts on every aspect of the integrated operations:

• High-quality control: The production and processing of SONZHOU is scheduled to be in a Suzhou factory. They have more than 30 years of experience in garment making, and the white silk produced is the only domestic supplier of Hermes scarves. It takes at least 3 times for each new model to make a pattern, and it takes an average of 4 months from pattern making to garment shipment. Each model fits in the two steps of model and real person. First put it on the model stand to see the approximate shape, and then the team members wear it on themselves to feel the real quality.
• Accurate sales channels: high-end hotels are the main sales channel of MAISON SONZHOU, which is closely related to its positioning (to attract customers aging from 30 to 55 years old and who pursue high life quality). Before the creation of MAISON SONZHOU, Mengjie had worked for a small start-up, in charge of the business development with high-end hotels in China. That experience left her with a wealth of hotel-channel connections (Four Seasons, the Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis, Peace Hotel, Banyan Tree, etc.), paving the way for the product sales of MAISON SONZHOU in high-end hotels.
• Supply chain management: Within 6 months of the brand creation, Mengjie and her team had completed the integration of supply chain, keeping close and frequent communication with foreign designers and domestic factories to ensure that the new designs, once confirmed, can be put into production as quickly as possible and the feedbacks from customers can be immediately dealt with.
• Effective teamwork: the team is made up of 6 persons sharing the same working philosophy. They are all multi-taskers and experts in their own area. The teamwork is quite efficient as they work in a pleasant and flexible way.

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In the face of the pandemic：get prepared to embrace new opportunities

The pandemic in 2020 has had a huge impact on the hotel industry, as well as on the sales of “MAISON SONZHOU”. With the shutdown of the factories, the business was almost brought to a standstill. Faced with the crisis, Mengjie remained optimistic: “we can see the pandemic as a crisis but also a turning point. During this critical time, we can take a step back and sum up the gain and loss in the past to find the direction for the future. We should grasp this period to enhance the branding, try to expand sales channels and develop new product lines.”

Therefore, to get prepared for the new opportunities after the pandemic, Mengjie, together with the whole team, carried out an integrated project to renew the brand image, including logo, connotation, products and packaging, etc. At the same time, Mengjie is also actively engaged in the development of "high-end customized gifts" and the business cooperation with business schools, high-end hotels, high-end tourism platforms, aiming to create more added value, enlarge customer base and establish a more diversified and stable business system.

"I really appreciate Mr. Inamori Kazuo, for his character and his altruism philosophy. I believe that everyone and everything that you encounter in life is a test that guides you to be more humble, sincere and brave. We should stay optimistic to face all the challenges, concentrate on what we need to do and leave the rest of it to fate. As the old saying goes, fortune always smiles upon those who stay optimistic”, concluded Mengjie.

Now that the pandemic is stabilizing, the production and sales of MAISON SONZHOU is gradually back on track. Through this period, the brand has developed more looks in addition to the original high-end pajama series, launched new silk accessories, such as silk eye masks and protective masks, and also participated in the Shanghai Fashion Week. Speaking of her future goals, Mengjie hopes that the brand can hold its own show on the Bund in 3 years.

 

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Advice to KEDGErs-to-be

Although it has been a long time since Mengjie’s return to China, she still misses the study experience in France. In her opinion, it not only broadened her horizons but also helps her develop a direct and efficient way of communication, a working and living style that welcomes new things and speaks to her own feelings. For all the KEDGErs-to-be, she gives the advice as below:

• Studying abroad means also enjoying living in the new and strange environment. Do not take your courses in the school as the only purpose of this trip. Try to “immerse” yourself in the new situation and make friends with local students. It will help you better cooperate with them at class.

• It is important to take an active part in the activities organized by the student associations and the school. Do not let the language stand in your way of opening your eyes. You will improve your social skills as well as your English/French in the exchanges. Moreover, the cultural differences will enable you to be more understanding and tolerant.

• Do what you love and stay open to new things. You are young and the trial-and-error cost is much lower. Under a risk-controlled condition, a wealth of experience will help you understand yourself and define your future orientation.

Hope every KEDGEr-to-be can have a unique and precious oversea study experience at KEDGE!

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Brand connotation: elegant and pleasing, love and gratifying

"SONZHOU", an ode from the French Chanson, the oldest collection of poems in China "The Book of Songs" - "Wind", "Ya", "Ode". Ode is also praise, eulogize.

Zhou is not only the Zhou Dynasty, but also refers to Zhou Li, also refers to comprehensive and thoughtful. The word Zhou has endless implications. The breadth and depth of Chinese characters are fully reflected in the "zhou".

"MAISON SONZHOU" was born under the background of the great era of the integration of Chinese and Western cultures. The designer team headed by the international designer Sophie who had lived in Hong Kong for a long time has integrated the "Elegance and Joy of Oneself, Charity and Humanity" concept of "SONZHOU". Based on the western design concept, we design unique silk underwear and high-end casual clothes.

 

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Make a silk sleeping luxury

Luxury is to make every detail perfect. The SONZHOU team hopes to adhere to this spirit, "SONZHOU should not only pursue luxury in price, but try to explore the essence of the brand world." Since Song Zhou is positioned as "LUXURY", it is inseparable from high-quality control from the source.

 

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Pyjamas can also wear a high-end feel in evening gowns

A silk pyajama with a light texture and full of design details can make up one-third of the sleep time of human life. All the styles of MAISON SONZHOU are designed by Sophie personally led the design team in Paris.

SONZHOU's classic pajamas dress is like an evening dress, whether it is worn out or as home wear, it can show a more elegant and intellectual side of women. Men's pajamas borrowed from the close-fitting tailoring of French suits. The design of waist, sleeve cage, cuffs, and small trousers change the traditional image of men’s pajamas, which are large and procrastinated, and reflect the demeanor and style of men everywhere.

 

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Ingenuity and elegance

The production and processing of SONZHOU is scheduled to be in a Suzhou factory. They have more than 30 years of experience in garment making, and the white silk produced is the only domestic supplier of Hermes scarves. It takes at least 3 times for each new model to make a pattern, and it takes an average of 4 months from pattern making to garment shipment. Each model fits in the two steps of model and real person. First put it on the model stand to see the approximate shape, and then the team members wear it on themselves to feel the real quality.

"Elegance to please yourself, fraternity to please others, free blending, harmonious unity", this is "MASION SONZHOU", a noble, elegant, and profound brand. In the future, the SONZHOU team hopes that SONZHOU will not only maintain an attitude of excellence in products, and have both fashion and quality, but also have an unremitting pursuit of a beautiful lifestyle and oriental traditional culture. Just as the brand name Son Zhou-the Zhou dynasty originated in China, a dynasty that has not fallen for 800 years in history, advocating courtesy, music, and civilization. The team also hopes that Song Zhou can continue this spiritual culture and pass on the elegance of the blend of East and West.

China Chine Management

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