Maia active China market strategy report by Daxue consulting and Double V consulting

© 2021 DAXUE CONSULTING – DOUBLE V CONSULTING
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
Maia Active
an Asian women-oriented activewear
brand
1

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Maia Active: An Asian women-oriented activewear brand
Maia Active is a designer activewear brand for Asian women with its slogan “Make every size beautiful”.
Through the development of technical sports fabrics and the use of fashionable elements and colors, Maia Active designs
activewear that fits Asian bodies and is regarded as a fashionable brand.
April 2017
Opened first flag ship store on Tmall
May 2018
Received RMB 40 million in Series A
financing
May 2019
Opened its first offline store in
Shanghai, officially entering the
offline retail sector
November 2019
Completed equity financing
(undisclosed)
Maia Active was
founded
2016
October 2020
Completed around RMB 100 million Yuan
in Series B financing
2020
Maia Active ranked Top 10 in the sports
category of domestic brands during Shopping
Festivals on Tmall and Taobao
Source: Chinese companies information website Tianyancha, Jiemian news designed by Daxue consulting
2

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Designed for Asian women’s bodies
Maia Active’s products are inspired by the problems that Asian women face while exercising. This has led to the development
of the sports bra with a zipper in front of body and the waist-cinching legging.
Due to its unique design, this brand has become popular in a short time and gains a good reputation.
Designed to fit Asian women
European and American girls Asian girls
Larger cups
Higher waist line
Larger hips
Longer legs
Disturb of
armpit fat
Lower waist line
Smaller hips
Shorter legs
Many girls feel nervous at
gyms due to the lack of
confidence in their figures.
With this in mind, Maia Active
designed their waist-cinching
legging (小腰精), which pulls in
belly fat and makes girls look
slimmer.
In Asia’s hot and humid
climate, it’s hard to remove
athletic apparel after intense
workouts.
Maia Active designed this bra
with a zipper in the front,
making it much easier to take
off.
Hide fat and make
waist slimmer
Add a zipper
3
Source: In-depth interview by Brandstar designed by Daxue consulting

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Color
Design
Unique
Easy to make collocation
Comfortable fabric
Quickly get dried
Resistance to wear
Affordable
Brand’s fame
Brand’s attitude
Official accounts
Friends’ recommendation
Offline stores
E-commerce platforms
Weibo
Xiaohongshu
Baidu
Zhihu
Bilibili
Taking consumer needs and feedback in all aspects of product
development and design into consideration.
All consumer feedback is collected and used as the basis for design and
product iteration. For example, the popular leggings ( 小腰精 ) were
adjusted at least 10 times based on consumers feedback and opinions.
Strategy 1: Actively manage consumer relationships with events and surveys
The brand applies a DTC (direct-to-consumer) strategy by collecting consumers’ feedback of brand’s clothing quality and
shopping experience through questionnaires every three months. Then the brand adapts products based on this feedback.
Maia Active holds offline community named MAIA FUN CLUB. The offline community is not sales-oriented, but focuses on
building a connection between the brand and its consumers and strengthening their stickiness.
Get feedback from consumers Offline community
What reasons affect you most when
making a purchase?
MAIA FUN CLUB
The core of MAIA ACTIVE’s community activities is based on the element
of “fun”.
The brand hosts offline social activities, such as yoga with dogs, belly
dancing and indoor bungee jumping.
Which channels help you to be
informed about brands?
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I am not pretty, but I don’t follow the trend.
6,853 shares 134 comments 1,719 likes
I am not pretty, but I work hard for myself,
I enjoy my life and my perseverance.
Beauty should not be limited. We have to
learn how to accept our own and unique
personalities.
Gradually, l learn how to love and
treasure myself.
Weibo
Publicity video named “I’m not beautiful, I am ___”
Strategy 2: Inviting diverse consumers to be models in ads
In terms of connecting with consumers emotionally, MAIA launched the “I’m not pretty” branding project and started
experimenting by using its own consumers, not just celebrities, to endorse the brand.
Maia Active invited 7 consumers to play in its publicity film and encouraged them to express their ideas about “beauty”,
emphasizing its brand slogan “Make every size beautiful”. Consequently, this special strategy was succeeded in attracting more
consumers to join comment on their social media posts.
Source: 36kr designed by Daxue consulting
5

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Special stitching
Comfortable and smooth
Absorbs sweat
Highly elastic fabric
Quick-drying
Elastane fabric
Customized
metal zipper
Inside buckle
Special stitching Push-up curve
Stable shape
High strength
anti-shock
Strategy 3: Distinguish from competitors with clear product functions
The product detail pages of many big brands nowadays only have a few pictures and just tell consumers the basic information
of sizes and fabrics. On e-commerce platforms, Maia Active uses lively and detailed description photos to explain its products’
functions to the consumers, distinguishing itself from other sportswear brands.
Its content reached targeted consumers and led to high ROI* 7 in 2019.
*Return on Investment, the benefit of an investment is divided by the cost of the investment.
The result is expressed as a percentage or a ratio
Take off
in one second
Show the
shape of the bust
Shock
absorbing
Legging (小腰精) Taobao page Sports bra Taobao page
Source: 36kr designed by Daxue consulting
6

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5 offline shops in Tier 1
and Tier 2 cities
Maia Active opens offline stores
located in high-end areas.
Strategy 4: Provide hands-on shopping experience in offline shops
The offline unit price is 1.5 times higher than online because it is easier to recommend and connect orders when selling offline,
resulting in high turnover and high conversion rate.
The “Fabric Lab” can be found in each offline store, where consumers can feel the unique fabrics used in their products.
The “Fabric Lab” in offline stores
lists its exclusive fabrics. It also
provides opportunities for
consumers to really understand the
characteristics of the fabrics and
craftsmanship, such as the
cashmere-like texture and fine
alignment. In order to emphasize
products’ strengths.
Fabric Lab
Each of offline stores has
its unique theme and
matching decoration style.
Yet all offline stores
maintain a consistent
brand identity. They
provide consumers with a
feeling of freshness and
novelty.
Butter yellow——
Highlighting the relaxed
environment
Marble pattern——
Highlighting the sports
atmosphere
High-end department store:
TaiKoo Li Sanlitun, Beijing
High-end department store:
Xintiandi, Shanghai
Offline stores
7

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This collab provided and
designed a collection of
fashionable cycling clothing for
urban girls.
October 2017
Maia Active x MOBIKE
“Sportswear capsule collection”, a step away
from the seriousness of sportswear. The
capsule collection aimed to provide women
with sportswear that bridges the boundaries
between fashion and comfort and could be
worn for many occasions.
October 2018
Maia Active x YIRANTIAN
This co-branding campaign
aimed to give women
sportswear which takes into
account both daily life and chic
style.
October 2020
Maia Active x Short Sentence
Strategy 5: Transform into a designer brand through co-branding
In order to promote the brand’s tone of fashion and give the brand more exposure opportunities toward the target consumers,
Maia Active collaborated with independent designer brands and brands with a large group of white-collar consumers in tier-1 cities,
such as the bike-sharing brand MOBIKE and fitness club SUPERMONKEY.
YIRANTIAN: A ready-to-wear brand
MOBIKE: A bike-sharing brand Short Sentence: An independent (Luxe) Brand
Source: Elle China designed by Daxue consulting
8

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Zhihu Taobao Weibo
#质量差# Poor quality
#缺乏原创精神# Lack of creativity
#穿衣不舒服# Uncomfortable wear experience
#产品不够人性化# Products are not user-friendly
It has fatal design flaws. The zipper is
not secure and can be painful on the
chest. I hurt even when doing
abdominal exertion. The size
recommended for me felt small and I
struggled with breathing while doing
exercise. The sizing recommendations
are very unreliable.
A clothing seller without even the
most basic sizing guide, asking
customer service to communicate
and waiting for a reply for a long time
I have worn it for a long time.
Unexpectedly my waist bleeds.
The sport bra deformed after one wash,
I won’t buy this brand again, it
considers more publicity than actual
effect.
Pain points: Poor after-sales service and design flaws
Many consumers complain about the poor after-service and shopping experience.
In addition, some people found the products such as leggings and bras are not as comfortable as Maia Active advertised.
Source: Zhihu, Taobao and Weibo designed by Daxue consulting
9
定型效果很差，洗了一次就变形了。承托能力也不好，
不会再买这个牌子了。宣传效果大于实际效果。
一个卖衣服的却连最基本的尺码指南都没有，问客服等
回复到地老天荒，这是有多抠门多请几个客服能破产吗？
使用一个月感受：风很大，颜值高，但是存在致命的设计
缺陷。1.胸前拉链头没有固定措施，趴下时拉链头会自然竖
直，趴下后就会磕到胸口。2.后背太厚，做腹部训练之类的
需要平躺用力的动作也会磕得很痛。3.我是军训身材，推荐
的尺码小到全程训练喘不上气来，我不同意身材的朋友情
况也是一样。说明整体尺码推荐就非常不靠谱。
Maia Active basic系列的瑜伽裤穿的时
间久了居然把我的腰磨出血。

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10
China’s fashion
industry overview
10

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11
Gen-Z is the main consumer group in China’s fashion industry
Source: Dewu App, Hylink x CBNData designed by Daxue consulting
Generation Z prefers both online and offline consumption, and are willing to invest in themselves and splurge on experiences.
They focus on quality, identity, and express their values through consumption. They are shaping fashion paradigm with more
diverse styles.
Source: Online survey of Hylink, N=around 3,000 Gen-Z, 2020 designed by Daxue consulting
Internet
native
Personality traits of Chinese Gen Z
The proportion of China’s fashion consumption by age
(2020)
ACGN Lookism
Influenced
by
recommen
dations
Stay
healthy in a
“punk” way
Make
friends
based on
interest
Homebody
Trend
leader
Love to
express
and share
Shop-
aholics
58%
Gen Z
Born 1995-1999
67%
Gen Z
Born 2000-2005
9%
GenY
Born 1990-1994
6%
GenY
Born 1980-1990
Generation Z fashion preferences
Fast fashion
Frequent updates, many SKUs, comfortable
12.5 17.9%
Affordable luxury
Sense of design, young brands
9.8 21.3%
Sportswear brands
Utility and minimalism, limited products
12.1 12.2%
International luxury
Classic, intricate design, status symbol
7.7 6.9%
Domestic brands
Celebrity endorsements, Guochao,
national pride
13.6 17.3%
9.8
Streetwear brands
Hip-hop rock, individuality
24.3%
Average purchase
frequency
(times/year)
% of respondents
who prefer
Fashion brand
categories

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Gen-Z is easily nudged by social media
The closed-loop marketing model is a combination of many social media and e-commerce platforms which exist only in China.
This is known as the AISAS model (explained below) and targets Chinese gen-z. Because most of their consumption is done
online their consumption data is easily collected.
Source: Online survey of Hylink and Sina, N=around 3,000
Gen-Z, 2020 designed by Daxue consulting
12
AISAS model in the Chinese fashion industry
Gen-Z’s purchase conversion rate:
57.5%
6. Repurchase (new), attract new consumers and complete closed loop
5.1. Share
Post or share purchased
products and shopping
experience on social
media
Gen-Z’s purchase
conversion rate:
22.5%
Gen-Z’s purchase
conversion rate:
26.1%
Attract new or
potential consumers
through posts or ads
on social media
1. Attention
KOLs & KOCs
share fashion
posts
Detailed information
and aftersales
feedback can be found
on e-commerce
platforms
3. Search
E-commerce
platforms
Purchase links
recommended
by KOLs and
KOCs
Finally make
a deal online
or offline
4. Action
Purchase links
recommended by
WeChat official
accounts
Leave reviews on
e-commerce shopping
platforms
5.2. Review (new)
Friends’
moments
2. Interest
• Recommendations from peers
• Social media posts of products or
shopping experiences by consumers
and KOLs
E-commerce
platforms

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13
Chinese women turn to fashion to show their personalities
Chinese women are willing to spend more money on clothing. They are also more likely to focus on style, quality and brand
reputation rather than cost. As a result, inexpensive clothing is becoming less popular.
Generation Z (post-95s) is willing to try new styles, while the post-90s prefer elegant French style and the post-85s prefer the
fashion style of Western socialites.
19%
22%
25%
34%
Cheaper
price
Brand's
reputation
Quality
fabric
Stylish
The key factors for women purchasing clothes
(online survey of CBNData, N=848
female consumers, 2020)
Source: CBNData designed by Daxue consulting
Gen-Z Post-90 Post-85
1 Instagram French Stylish
2 HK style (港风) Elegance Chanel (小香风)
3 South Korean Niche/minority Fashion (时髦)
4 Niche Romantic Socialite fashion (名媛)
5 Sweet & cute Vintage/retro Foreign style (洋气)
6 Multi-match Fashion (时髦) European stops (欧洲站)
7 Japanese Sweet Commute
8 Vintage Light mature Minimalist
9 Chic Effortless (心机) Cartoon
10 Cool (潮) Chanel (小香风) High-qualified (重工)
Top 10 keywords women searched for purchasing clothes
(2020)

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14
“Consumers are increasingly looking for a sense of
identity with brands and diversified possibilities to
express their fashion attitude through design. Therefore,
more and more female consumers tend to buy products
with in-depth brand stories and design inspirations.”
From an in-depth interview with Lane Crawford company’s China branch
Source: CBNData

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Chinese fashion is becoming gender non-binary
15
Fashion has increasingly moved toward genderless designs and silhouettes, especially when it comes to streetwear.
According to JD’s Big Data report in 2021, oversized clothing sales have increased 1.5-fold year-over-year, with women
contributing more than 65% of the sales. Additionally, men contributed 88% of the sales of floral printing T-shirts.
Consumption of "unisex" clothing has increased by 4.3 times in June 2021 compared to June 2020.
Genderless dress wearing
Genderless dress wearing for
girls
Genderless stores
Xiaohongshu 60k+ posts
7,600+ commodities
Genderless style
Source: Xiaohongshu, Weibo and Taobao designed by Daxue consulting
Hot topic on social media
A huge number of relevant content is
showed in social media.
Relevant terms about “Genderless” are
also recommended.
180 million views
44k comments
Weibo
# Gender neutral look #
In 2020
Taobao
Frequency of women searching
for oversized blazers increased
by 317%
Number of men searching for lace
increased by 119%
Number of men searching for
Sheer* has increased by 107%
Gender differences in clothing narrows. Lining’s
basketball jersey matches both male and female
consumers.
*Fabric filled with organza and mesh

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16
The rise of Guochao redefines "Made in China"
Chinese designers are adding traditional Chinese elements into their designs. At the same time, consumers are increasingly
embracing Chinese cultural designs and adopt “Made in China” as a symbol of pride and cultural resonance.
Feiyue Nike
Chinese consumers increasingly
prefer domestic brands
Growth rate of product views on
Xiaohongshu
70% Affordable Guochao products
50% Mid- and high-end Guochao products
<20% European and American products
As Chinese brands have made significant
progress in improving innovation, quality
and technology, foreign brands can no
longer rely on foreign allure to earn
attention in Chinese market.
VS
Foreign products are increasingly
including Chinese elements
By collaborating with local artists and using
local elements, foreign brands are able to
perfectly capture the modern Chinese
zeitgeist and avoid cultural blunders.
Burberry:
New Year's Eve Series Burberry's 2021 New
Year collection
features the brand’s
signature plaid along
with vibrant horns to
celebrate the
auspiciousness of
the Year of the Ox
and bring personal
creativity to the
everyday outfit.
Old Chinese brands use Guochao to
revitalize themselves
Chinese consumers are turning away from
foreign brands, giving older ‘forgotten’
domestic brands a second-chance.
Forbidden City Wenchuang (文创), an old
Chinese stationary brand, launched its first
makeup and sold out in a short period of
time.
“GUO CHAO” (literally “national trend”) refers to the increase consumer favoritism towards Chinese brands, designs and culture.
国潮

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17
Streetwear is booming among young Chinese
Combined with the power of social media, the influences of hip-hop art and stars in Asia has given inspiration to streetwear
brands.
Chinese streetwear brands are talented at sculpture a strong authentic identity. It has given rise to new brands fusing
contemporary youth culture and ancient Chinese elements. Local designers regularly draw inspiration from Imperial China’s
aesthetics or Taoism for their collections.
The Rap of China Street Dance of China
Li-Ning SS21 Shanghai Fashion Week Poster with ethnic elements
Source: Heuritech, fashion rewview website designed by Daxue consulting
Thanks to reality shows like “The Rap of China” and “Street
Dance of China”, streetwear rose from unknown to
mainstream.
Young consumers rush to buy streetwear with logos which
their favorite celebrities wear.
Li-Ning, has proved its design power of streetwear of its SS21
collection on Shanghai Fashion Week.
It has released more colorful, chunky sneakers that keep up
with the global streetwear trend.

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18
Chinese fashion goes green
The importance of sustainability leads more and more fashion crops and designers to focus on ethical sourcing and
sustainable practices to meet the changing ethics of consumers.
Fabrics such as linen and regenerated nylon are widely used as sustainable fabrics in fashion industry.
Source: Heuritech, fashion review website designed by Daxue consulting
Major luxury brands are also committed
to make products and designs that are
environmentally conscious.
The move away from animal furs has
become a way for luxury brands to make
a statement and enhance their image.
Use of ECONYL (regenerated nylon)
Prada Re-Nylon bag
Armani goes fur free
International brands
Chinese brand ICICLE
uses 100% organic or
recycled materials to
make its collections.
Main materials:
Cashmere, wool, flax,
silk and cotton
Domestic brands
Main materials:
Paper pulp
NEIWAI uses recycled
paper pulp boxes to
package its products.
These boxes can be
reused as household
storage basket. WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) China and
its parent company have proposed
sustainable fashion event in 2021, inviting
fashion, beauty, and footwear brands to
become sustainable.
Fashion activities in China

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20
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A research and consulting firm headquartered in China, with an Asia-focus and a presence on three continents.
China
• Shanghai (HQ)
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• Hong Kong
France
(Rep. offices,
Paris,
Bordeaux)
Vietnam
Beijing
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2 people 8 people 16 people
2019 2021
2020
Shanghai
(new HQ)
30+ people
Vietnam, Korea,
and France
representative
offices
(Rep. office,
Ho Chi Minh
City)
South
Korea
(Rep. office,
Seoul)
Our history
Partner offices:
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• Indonesia
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Since 2017
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We keep you up with the
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Maia active China market strategy report by Daxue consulting and Double V consulting

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Maia active China market strategy report by Daxue consulting and Double V consulting