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Written by: Deng Yinglin
2020-08-10 08:00
Last update date: 2020-08-10 08:00Under the epidemic, all primary and secondary schools in Hong Kong are not allowed to return to school to teach face-to-face courses at the beginning of September. They can only study at home or take online lessons, which indirectly affects the business of school uniforms.
Jin Lun Clothing, which stands tall in Prince Edward and provides customized school uniform services for about 300 primary and secondary schools, is also affected by the epidemic. The 92-year-old managing director, Lin Songpo, has been in the school uniform business for more than half a century, and 40 years ago "driven the trend "Abandoning tailor-made school uniforms, focusing on prefabricated school uniforms and gradually became famous. The once-popular sailor school uniforms of the New Fa Academy were also made by him. Today, when the epidemic is predicted, Lin Songpo has not expressed discouragement. In response to the epidemic in time, we have not only strengthened store disinfection and arranged staff to take the temperature of customers, but also expected that the transportation between China and Hong Kong may be blocked. We have arranged a special car to transport winter school uniforms to Hong Kong in advance to ensure that the supply of school uniforms in the coming year is not available. Affected; however, even if he is prepared, he revealed that delaying the start of school has always reduced the demand for school uniforms, and the business volume during the same period was about 20% lower than in previous years.
Lin Songpo, the 92-year-old managing director of Jinlun Clothing, revealed that the school uniform business has fallen by 20% due to the epidemic, but he is not discouraged. "Doing business depends on the long-term". There is no price increase due to the increase in costs, and he continues to increase labor. (Photo by Zheng Zifeng)
Due to body shape, changing schools or the old school uniforms, many parents will bring their children to school uniform companies to buy new school uniforms before school starts. Lin Songpo recalled that more than 50 years ago, both fashion and school uniforms had to be tailor-made. It was mostly in mid-September for students to wear school uniforms. However, as a large number of new immigrants came to Hong Kong, the population increased and schools opened more and more. Tailor-made is difficult to meet the demand, so he made reference to overseas practices and local school uniform experience, invested in a large amount of materials, made his own workshop to produce size school uniforms, and succeeded in making a big splash. Today, Jinlun is a large school uniform supplier in Hong Kong. Serves about 300 primary and secondary schools.
The sailor school uniforms with blue tops and white skirts displayed outside the store are Lin Songpo's proud work. This set of new school uniforms was rumored to be a fashionable symbol back then and was very popular among students. (Photo by Zheng Zifeng)
The school uniform store retains the three-story design. The new law school sailor uniform was designed that year
The land price in Hong Kong is high, and the Jinlun clothing located in Prince Edward Road West, in the flower market area, still retains the 70s design. The store is spacious with clear division of labor on the three floors. The ground floor is the cashier, the second floor is the fitting room, the storage area and the office, and the third floor is the workshop for modifying school uniforms and the staff dining area.
Lin Songpo said with satisfaction that the blue jacket and white skirt of the sailor school uniform that the model wore at the door was his proud work: "At that time, there were more than two thousand students in the new law (academy), and they wore them all over the street after school. I designed it!"
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Suspension of school uniforms reduces business demand by 20%
In recent years, "fast-food fashion" has become a trend, which has brought an impact to the traditional clothing industry. Lin Songpo said frankly that in recent years, some parents have prioritized price, followed by quality, reduced customer sources, and increased costs. School uniforms have become more profitable than 20 years ago. However, this year’s epidemic is postponed to start school, the demand for school uniforms has decreased, and the business has fallen by 20% compared to previous years: "Generally, I buy two sets in the summer. Most of them buy one set first. It depends on the situation to decide whether to purchase more, because school will start soon. It will turn to winter."
Under the epidemic, people who enter the store must first detect the heat. As soon as he went up to the second floor, it was like walking into the mysterious space of nine bends and thirteen bends. After walking for nearly a minute, it did not reach the end. It turned out that Lin Songpo specially applied to the government for "revision" and opened up the second floors of the two buildings in order to cope with the flow of people. , Next to the ten fitting rooms, are connected to the stock area and the office, making it easy for employees to come and go.
He laughed and said that fortunately, he bought properties as early as the 1970s. Otherwise, the business of school uniforms in Hong Kong, which is extremely precious, would not continue: "If you have to pay rent, you will not be able to make school uniforms, and the profit will be too small."
Even if the school uniform is known as a time-honored brand, Lin Songpo said that from time to time employees are reminded to be polite, "The quality of school uniforms and hospitality must be improved, and they must not be "hardened" (photo by Zheng Zifeng)
The first priority is to maintain the quality of school uniforms and the school promises to hire a special car to send winter clothes to Hong Kong early
Although the epidemic has affected business, the 92-year-old Lin Songpo was not discouraged. He emphasized that doing business should be done by himself. He even invited his wife and his son who graduated in business administration to join the company. He has repeatedly reiterated that the primary importance of school uniforms is to maintain the quality, keep the promise to the school, and then keep up with the times while keeping the good old system.
For example, he pointed out that in recent years, the average height of Hong Kong students is higher than in the past and fatter than in the past. Therefore, in addition to the length, waist size must be adjusted. The third floor of the clothing store still retains a workshop and about ten workers. In case students need to modify their school uniforms, Instant processing. During the epidemic, the transportation between China and Hong Kong is sometimes blocked. Therefore, special buses have been arranged in advance to deliver winter school uniforms to Hong Kong to ensure that the supply of winter school uniforms is not affected.
Business declines, salaries and benefits do not decrease but increase
The business volume fell by about 20%, but Lin Songpo said that he regarded the partners as relatives, and the salary and benefits were not reduced but increased. In addition to the annual salary increase, the old case of hiring "partners" for cooking and employees' meals was also preserved for decades. The staff in the dining area should explore the heat again and eat in batches. It’s just that he reminds employees from time to time that they have the reputation of being a time-honored school uniform, and that they must be polite and put customers first: "The quality of school uniforms and hospitality must be improved, and it is not allowed to be "rigid."
Parents: It is expected that classes will resume in October at the latest to buy a larger size school uniform for use
Mr. Lan, who brought his fourth daughter to Jin Lun to buy a new school uniform, said that his daughter’s old school uniform did not fit well and decided to buy the new school uniform. “It’s not because of the epidemic to buy more and buy less. Depending on your needs, you can replace them with ones that are too narrow or not suitable. "
The parent, Mrs. Yang, said that her daughter is about to enter Primary One. Although it is unknown when the school will start and the placement test will also be cancelled due to the epidemic, it is not expected to resume classes later than October, so she decided to buy first when "parents generally dare not go out." Put in two sets of "loose body" summer school uniforms for spare.
School preparations start school New crown pneumonia suspension of classes 01 Video I am home
