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The VOIT 09' Collection Debut Event

I had the pleasure of attending The Voit 09' Collection debut event thanks to my good friend Sunshine(who works for Voit). Voit is a huge footwear brand in China, and other countries located in and around Asia. Sunshine and her boss Rick invited to attend this event that usually consists of only Voit customers, employees, and endorsees. It was a 3 day event which included, a fashion show, sample/ordering showing, dinner, and a celebrity basketball game. Everyone was wondering who I was and figured I was some type of celebrity or athlete or something. I never had to pose for so many pictures in my life....I started to charge...just kidding. It was an extremely fun event, I was really impressed with their new line as well as their designers.

The first event was the fashion show. The styles has a much wider range than I expected. Everything was covered from basketball, running, soccer, casual, tennis, and athletic, fashion, swim apparel. There was hip hop music blasting, a fantastic light show, break dancers, street basketball players performing dribbling routines, a chinese celebrity singer, and my favorite.....chinese female models! The Chinese really know how to party, trust me. I wasn't expecting anything like this, the energy and presentation shocked and impressed me. They really got a kick out of me bobbing my head and mouthing the lyrics to all the hip hop music.
In typical fashion, I was given the "celebrity" treatment: preferred seating, escorts, cold water(don't laugh, it is a luxury here), and overall kindness.

The fashion show, dinner, and sample showing were all held at the Oriental Hotel, which is the hotel we stayed in on the first trip to Putian in February 07'

Rick and his family

The next day, we visited the product sample showing. It was held in a large conference room, and filled wall to wall with all of the new footwear and apparel products. During this event the Voit customers clamored over each other trying to get first dibs on the hottest new product. I just casually strolled through, only moving in for a closer look when I found a weak spot in the wall of chinese consumers (no pun intended with the wall thing ;) The quantity and variety of new product was mind boggling, they had enough new product to last five years. I guess when you have a country with over 2 billion, it's necessary to have some variety. The ordering sessions resembled the trading floor of Wall Street more than it did a product showing. I had the opportunity to meet the entire design team. I found out after I left that they really wanted to speak in-depth with me, but were too shy, which is typical here. The company is really looking to step up their design. They asked me to give my opinions on their designs and how they could improve in the future. Most of their footwear designs are derivatives of popular american footwear brands. They want to eventually move into to the US market, and their designs as it stands wouldn't fly. The conversations hinted at me consulting, or even leading the design department. Could some certain little chinese person be trying to get me to stay in China???......who knows these things?

I didn't get any pictures during the dinner, I was engulfed in the feast.....sorry.

Now, to the basketball game. The game was held in a gym at the north campus of Putian University. Only employees, customers, and special guests were allowed inside. The crowd outside the door was massive! Voit's #1 endorser and Chinese basketball superstar Wang Zi ZI was going to be in attendance. Wang is 7'2 and played on the national olympic team. There were hundreds of eager ball fans waiting outside to get a glimpse or photo of Wang. The game was great, mascots, cheerleaders, performances, they really put on a great show. When Wang arrived, it turned to pandemonium. People rushed the court trying to get a closer look and pictures of Wang. Once they kinda got the crowd dispersed, Wang joined the game, and put on a stellar performance. They let some on the crowd from the outside in when Wang was playing, so the gym became immediately packed. As soon as he stopped playing the crowd pretty much broke up the rest of the game. The Voit employees and security had to form a human wall around him to thwart the relentless photo seekers. Sunshine was embarrassed, but I found it quite amusing.

All in all, it was a great weekend, and I really enjoyed the experience. I got to meet people from all over China, receive another hefty dose of chinese hospitality!