usatvline Chapter 451 You have a garment factory?
Chapter 451 You have a garment factory?
On New Year's Eve, Zhong Yuemin and his father went to Xiaobai's house for New Year's Eve dinner. Their maternal grandparents in Northeast China were too old to travel long distances and couldn't come over. It would be lonely with just the father and son at home. It would be better to go to Xiaobai's house for a family reunion and a lively celebration.
The living room at my father-in-law's house was warm and cozy, filled with the aroma of food. The family sat around the sumptuous dining table, eating and chatting. His father and father-in-law were of similar social standing and both were about to retire, so they had things to talk about.
On one side was a 20-inch color TV imported from a small town, and on the screen was playing the first Spring Festival Gala, which was watched by millions of viewers in front of their televisions during this time slot.
The first Spring Festival Gala in 83 was directed by Huang Yihe, and hosted by Jiang Kun, Ma Ji, Liu Xiaoqing, and others. The stage setup was simple, lacking a dazzling backdrop and colorful lights; from a later perspective, it was far too rudimentary.
However, this did not diminish the enthusiasm and curiosity of viewers both on and off screen. For most families, being able to gather together and watch a live-streamed cultural performance was an unprecedented experience, filled with a warm and lively festive atmosphere.
The actors took turns on stage, bringing the most vibrant artistic atmosphere of this era.
Siqin Gaowa, who became a household name for her role as "Tiger Girl" in the film "Rickshaw Boy" and recently won both the Golden Rooster and Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Actress, showcased her dance talent on the Spring Festival Gala.
Yan Shunkai, an actor from the Shanghai Comic Drama Troupe who won the Hundred Flowers Award for Best Actor for his role as Ah Q in "The True Story of Ah Q", collaborated with Siqin Gaowa to perform the skit "Visiting Changdian". The two actors, one from the north and one from the south, had a clash of styles, and the humor was simple yet heartwarming.
The crosstalk performance by Ma Ji and Jiang Kun, and the songs "Husband and Wife Returning Home Together" and "The Rustling of Bamboo Forest" performed by Suo Baoli and Mou Xuanfu were all very beautiful and moving...
The most impressive performance was by Li Guyi, who opened the gala with "New Year's Greetings Song," followed by nine other songs including "Song of Spring" and "Greetings to the Motherland."
Her individual performance time totaled over twenty-five minutes, an unimaginable luxury in later Spring Festival Galas.
However, the song "Unforgettable Tonight," which later became an absolute symbol of the Spring Festival Gala and embodied the emotions of countless Chinese people on New Year's Eve, was not performed at the first gala. This song would not be sung for the first time until the Spring Festival Gala in 1984, and from then on, it became an eternal classic.
The mother-in-law looked at the TV screen and couldn't help but praise:
"Hey, look at the female host's outfit! The style is so unique, and the color is perfect—a vibrant red, so festive and beautiful!"
Xiaobai's eldest and second sisters-in-law nodded in agreement.
"It looks nice, and the material looks crisp. I don't think the department stores around here sell it."
Zhou Xiaobai smiled and casually said:
"Mom, sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, if you like this style, have Yuemin go to their clothing factory tomorrow and get a few pieces. There will definitely be some that fit."
"Ok?"
Upon hearing this, everyone at the dinner table who was chatting casually paused for a moment, and all eyes turned to Zhong Yuemin. Even Zhou Zhennan, who was playing with his granddaughter, looked up.
Chen Yijun looked at her daughter and then at her son-in-law with surprise: "Xiaobai, what did you say? Yuemin... has a garment factory? When did that happen?"
They only knew that Yuemin had some connections and businesses in Hong Kong, but neither Yuemin nor Xiaobai mentioned what they did or how big they were, and they never asked. They were all very surprised to hear about the garment factory.
Zhong Yuemin was putting a piece of fish into his wife's bowl when he heard this. He smiled, put down his chopsticks, and explained:
"Mom, sister-in-law, second sister-in-law, Xiaobai isn't entirely right. As for the garment factory, strictly speaking, it can't be considered entirely my own; it's more like a... collaboration."
"My main job is in Hong Kong Island, where I'm responsible for providing trendy clothing designs and importing fabrics that are hard to find in mainland China."
Meanwhile, utilizing those channels, I registered a clothing brand, essentially to establish a brand identity. The actual production was handled in cooperation with several profitable state-owned garment factories in the mainland, primarily in the south, who processed and produced the garments according to my requirements and standards. This is what's called 'contract manufacturing'.
Seeing that everyone was confused, he gave an example:
"The biggest advantage of doing this is that it saves a lot of costs and can increase production in a short period of time. The wages of one skilled tailor in Hong Kong are equivalent to the wages of ten workers on the mainland."
By placing production in the mainland, labor costs are cheaper, and factories already have equipment and workers, allowing us to keep costs very low. Lower costs give us a greater pricing advantage, whether selling to Hong Kong or gradually expanding into the mainland market, giving us a stronger competitive edge when competing with other brands.
He pointed to the television screen as he spoke:
"Look, tonight's Spring Festival Gala, the red dress worn by host Liu Xiaoqing, as well as some of the outfits worn by other hosts, and even the clothing worn by some audience members, were all provided free of charge by our partner brand. Consider it... an advertisement, a chance to get some exposure."