ACCIÓ and the Catalan Fashion Cluster MODACC have coordinated a business mission to Kazakhstan, specifically to the city of Almaty. As accessories, children’s fashion and footwear are the three main expanding categories in the fashion market of Kazakhstan, this make up for great business opportunities for the Catalan brands.
New geopolitical realities, lack of a developed local textile industry and the high volume of imports in Kazakhstan make this Central Asian country an outstanding opportunity for Catalan fashion brands. The main objective of the commercial mission has been to facilitate contact between the participating Catalan brands and distributors and buyers of fashion. In this country the young population is very interested in fashion, as it follows international trends and positively values of European fashion brands.
The participating companies
The companies Bóboli, Escorpion, Lola Casademunt, Massana, Punto Blanco, Sita Murt, Yerse and Avet have hold some thirty meetings with distributors and buyers from fashion store chains in the country. In addition, the Catalan brands have carried out a retail tour of the main shopping centers in the city of Almaty, including Sacks fifth Avenue, Esentai Mall, Mega Centre, Luxus or Dostyk Plaza. This has allowed them to get to know the local offer in order to identify specific opportunities for the internationalisation of Catalan fashion brands.
Kazakhstan
As a Eurasian nation Kazakhstan stands out as the most extensive territory in the region. With an area exceeding France five times, and a population larger than 20 million, the country is distinguished by a remarkable diversity. This diversity is manifested in more than 120 different nationalities, shaping an exceptionally rich and plural social, cultural and linguistic society.
The conflict between Russia and Ukraine has generated a strong influx of Russian capital into the country, thus boosting the development of several fashion-related businesses, especially large retail outlets. The post-pandemic years have seen the emergence of the concept of multi-brand stores offering premium brands, and a remarkable growth in online sales. The population with purchasing power closely follows the latest news from fashion brands and makes their purchases mainly through Instagram.
Currently, Kazakhstan offers a growing market for Catalan brands, in fact, Spanish exports of the fashion sector to Kazakhstan have grown from 476 million euros to 1,499 million euros in 2022. Also, fashion sales via the internet have grown from 327 million euros in 2019 to 1,349 million euros in 2022.
