29 May 2026
Founded in Shanghai in 1997, ICICLE is one of China’s distinctive premium fashion brands. Natural materials, high quality and a quiet, understated contemporary aesthetic have always been at the heart of its identity. Spanning womenswear, menswear and accessories, the brand is guided by its “Made in Earth” philosophy, which emphasises harmony between people and nature. Through the use of high-quality natural materials, ICICLE creates clothing and accessories designed with lasting value in mind.
Image courtesy of the ICICLE website
In recent years, ICICLE has continued to expand internationally, while attracting increasing attention from the global fashion industry. Today, the brand operates 240 stores in China and four boutiques in Paris, France. In 2026, French luxury group Kering announced that it would acquire a minority stake in ICICLE’s parent company, ICCF Group, as part of a strategic partnership between the two parties. The move also reflects the international luxury industry’s growing interest in the potential of China’s premium fashion brands.
This year, APLF invited the ICICLE team to visit the fair as buyers. During the exhibition, we spoke with Vanessa Yao, President of ICICLE’s Accessories Division, to hear her perspectives on high-quality materials, stable supply chains and suitable suppliers, as well as how APLF helps brands connect more effectively with relevant partners through pre-show communication and supplier matching.
Quality as a Fundamental Requirement in Supplier Selection
Speaking about ICICLE’s brand positioning, Vanessa explained that the brand places strong emphasis on natural materials and high quality, with a product portfolio spanning menswear, womenswear and accessories.
For ICICLE, accessories are not merely an addition to the brand’s product offering. They form part of its wider expression of style, material philosophy and lifestyle. As such, when sourcing suppliers, the brand looks beyond the price or design of an individual product, assessing quality, material performance, supply capabilities and alignment with the brand.
“ICICLE is positioned at the premium end of the market, so we have high expectations of our suppliers,” says Vanessa. “We generally look for suppliers that are among the leading players in the industry, and we have very strict requirements when it comes to product quality.”
This means that suppliers considered by ICICLE must demonstrate strong product capabilities as well as reliable delivery standards. For a premium brand, suppliers are not simply manufacturers or material providers; they are important partners in delivering product quality and expressing the brand’s identity.
Material Selection: Quality, Softness, Stability and Environmental Responsibility
Image: ICICLE Vegetable-Tanned Cowhide Hobo Bag
When sourcing materials, ICICLE places quality first. For accessories in particular, the hand feel, texture, softness and stability of a material all directly influence the finish of the final product.
Material quality remains the starting point for ICICLE’s accessories sourcing. “High quality is something we value greatly,” says Vanessa, adding that the team was also looking for particularly soft materials during its visit to APLF.
Beyond the performance of the material itself, supply chain stability is also an important consideration when the brand selects its partners. For a premium brand, a good material cannot perform well only at the sampling stage; it must also maintain consistency throughout subsequent development, production and delivery.
“When sourcing materials, we have very high requirements for quality. At the same time, we also place great importance on the stability of the supply chain.”
Environmental responsibility is another area of focus for ICICLE. The brand also looks into whether a material is environmentally friendly and the raw materials used in its production.
This reflects a more comprehensive approach to material sourcing among premium brands: materials must have a sense of quality while also offering stable supply; they must meet product development needs while remaining aligned with the brand’s commitment to nature, environmental responsibility and long-term value.
Image: Goatskin Saddle Bag
How APLF Facilitates Precise Connections
Speaking about her experience at APLF, Vanessa felt that the organiser had done a very good job in pre-show communication and supplier matching.
“For us, the organiser did a very good job at this exhibition. Before we came, the organiser communicated with us and arranged supplier matching.”
For a brand such as ICICLE, with clear positioning and high requirements, the value of an exhibition is not simply in seeing more suppliers. It lies in whether the brand can connect, within a limited amount of time, with potential partners that genuinely meet its needs.
Vanessa added, “Whether for buyers or sellers, the organiser carries out relatively precise matching work.”
This kind of advance communication and matching helps brands screen suitable suppliers more effectively, while also enabling exhibitors to better understand buyers’ actual needs. For both parties, precise matching improves not only the efficiency of meetings, but also the potential for future collaboration.
As an international exhibition platform based in Hong Kong, APLF also provides suppliers seeking to expand in Asia with opportunities to connect with brand buyers from across the region.
“Exhibitors coming to Hong Kong may already be consciously looking to expand into the Asian market. Therefore, they also place great importance on brands like ours.”
For suppliers, APLF is therefore not only a platform for presenting products, but also an important setting in which to understand the needs of Asian brands and build long-term partnerships. Particularly when engaging with a premium brand such as ICICLE, suppliers need to demonstrate not only their products, but also their understanding of brand positioning, material requirements, quality consistency and supply chain coordination capabilities.
