In the early 1990s, Ke Xiaming led a team to do private label manufacturing for Quanzhou’s then-leading apparel enterprises. This was his first collaboration with branded companies. "At that time, business menswear was just beginning to take shape, and most people had not yet caught the scent of the emerging market for fashion menswear," Ke Xiaming said. By then, he had already shifted more of his focus toward developing fashionable clothing products.
By the end of 1995, collaborating with Septwolves helped steadily elevate Ke Xiaming’s standing in the apparel market. As his financial resources gradually grew, he felt the timing was right to independently operate a brand. After the collaboration with Septwolves ended, the question of whether to lease a brand or create one became a topic on Ke Xiaming’s agenda. "At that time, the textile and apparel industry in the Quanzhou area had already begun stepping into the brand operation phase, with business menswear being the dominant direction for men’s brand enterprises, thriving in the market," Ke Xiaming said. Launching a fashion menswear brand at that time would have been very difficult. After thorough analysis, to play it safe, he ultimately decided to partner with others to manage a branded men’s apparel enterprise in Shishi. From 1998 onward, he worked on it for seven years. During this period, under Ke Xiaming’s strategic planning, the brand pioneered the franchise-exclusive retail model, with sales performance and the retail network steadily rising. Due to his continued research and development of fashionable apparel products and optimism about market prospects, he registered the "Xiyu Camel" brand in 2003, positioning it for fashion menswear.
Building a Fashion Menswear Brand, Initiating Cross-Sector Marketing
In 2005, due to intellectual property issues with the jointly managed menswear enterprise, Ke Xiaming had no choice but to terminate the partnership. Facing the challenge, he immediately gathered national agents and the heads of three branch factories to discuss the company’s future development. They decided to leverage their own marketing network to independently establish a brand, relaunch the "Xiyu Camel" brand registered in 2003, and adopt a shareholding operation model for joint management. "At that time, differentiation among Chinese menswear brands was becoming increasingly important. I positioned Xiyu Camel as fashionable, bold, and vibrant in color—casual menswear with fabric selection, design styles, and color matching all reflecting a modern, trendy vibe," Ke Xiaming said. Xiyu Camel aimed not only to be different from traditional apparel enterprises but also to stand apart from southern Fujian clothing brands.
With the completion of a series of preparatory efforts and meticulous planning, it took just three months for the Xiyu Camel brand to leave a deep impression on the public. In April of that year, Xiyu Camel’s spring and summer products debuted in over 500 stores and counters nationwide, with sales exceeding 100 million yuan.
After solidifying its position in the domestic market, to establish Xiyu Camel as a style guide for modern fashion-forward men, Ke Xiaming believed it was essential to introduce advanced international trend resources and bring Xiyu Camel onto the global fashion stage. At that time, the NBA was expanding into the Chinese market, and he resolutely decided to form a strategic partnership with the NBA. "Xiyu Camel became another major partner of the NBA—following renowned brands like NIKE, Coca-Cola, McDonald's, and NOKIA—after decades of the NBA’s existence. It was also the first time in history that the NBA formed a strategic partnership with a Chinese casual menswear brand," Ke Xiaming told reporters. This unconventional cross-sector marketing model between a menswear brand and the sports world sparked widespread discussion across the industry at the time, and Xiyu Camel’s reputation within the sector was firmly established. In the three years following the partnership with the NBA, using the NBA as a marketing platform, Xiyu Camel significantly expanded its distribution channels.
IPO Listing, Connecting with European Fashion
Hard work pays off. Years of dedication to fashion finally culminated in a major breakthrough at China International Fashion Week in 2012, where Xiyu Camel appeared as a leader in China’s fashion casual menswear. On October 11, 2013, Xiyu Camel officially went public on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in Germany, immediately demonstrating strong growth momentum. Its stock price rose from the issue price of 2.1 euros to 2.7 euros on the first day, an increase of nearly 30%. This outcome made Ke Xiaming even more confident in his vision to "create an expert in men’s casual wear."
Speaking about the German listing, Ke Xiaming emphasized that going public marked a new starting point for Xiyu Camel. On one hand, it raised funds to inject momentum into the brand’s future development. On the other hand, it allowed the company to better utilize resources passed along by European investors—such as product development concepts and brand management experience—in its own corporate construction. Through connections facilitated by European investors, Xiyu Camel gained access to European fashion industry resources, building a better platform for the brand’s future development.