An American in China

American Apparel Inc. (Los Angeles) plans to enter China next month, with stores in Shanghai, Beijing and Suzhou, DNR.com reports.

American Apparel’s “anti-brand” focus on affordable fashion basics that lack conspicuous logos places it in sharp contrast to the many European designer labels popular with Chinese consumers.

“We expect to be an anomaly [in China], and we expect it will take time, because we’re not interested in chasing the market,” American Apparel ceo Dov Charney told DNR. “The [upscale] brands have done well there, because Chinese consumers are a little into the glitz…. American Apparel doesn’t provide that. There’s no status associated with it, so we’ll have to appeal to the early adapters who appreciate fit and simplicity.”

American Apparel also operates in two other Asian markets: it has five stores in Japan and eight in South Korea.