Fashion entrepreneur Ilse Kerling has found a ready market among expatriate women

There's something about Hong Kong which makes you want to set up your own business, according to Dutch entrepreneur Ilse Kerling.

That "something" is in the form of a positive business environment and a large expatriate community. Mrs Kerling started her own company, Cloud 9 Asia Pacific Ltd, after she, like many expatriate women, had difficulty finding stylish, affordable clothes to fit her tall frame.

Mrs Kerling decided to quit her job in a telecommunications company, where she was involved with starting up business units, sales and marketing, and parlayed her knowledge and experience into her own small start-up.

"Even when I was working fulltime, I used to do up clothes samples for my own wardrobe. Last year, I decided to take the plunge. With an initial capital investment of HK$250,000 (US$32,000) I made up some samples using production facilities in nearby countries such as Thailand, China and Vietnam and starting selling," she said.

Niche market

Working from her home in the Mid Levels has allowed her to sell her clothes at very affordable prices. Almost immediately, she found a niche market and a ready clientele in other expatriate women. "I knew I was onto something when friends came and they in turn brought along other friends. "

Her collection is divided into Business Wear, Casual Wear and Asian Wear. The latter involves a lot of intricate embroidery, a skill for which Vietnam is famous.

It is so easy to start a business in Hong Kong, said Mrs Kerling, who's lived here for almost 10 years. "It's very easy and simple to incorporate a business here. There are lots of business opportunities, much more than in Amsterdam where it's very difficult to get a fashion label off the ground because there is less of a niche market. Hong Kong is what you make of it."

As befitting a global haven for SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), Hong Kong's services industry is efficient and reliable, she said. "The service industry is very good in Hong Kong. People are hard working and there is quick response; they send you quotations and finished products very fast. People are truly helpful and it's very easy to source for things. I get all the accessories such as buttons, trimmings, clothes racks and bags in Hong Kong."

Convenient business hub

Because of its great infrastructure, it's easy "to hop from place to place within Hong Kong and also very easy to get from one place to another in Asia".

The business has taken off much sooner than she expected. Mrs Kerling is mulling over opening a shop "somewhere in Soho" in Central next year to attract the tourists.

For the time being however, she is on cloud nine. "My company is named appropriately Cloud 9 which stands for bliss in getting the clothes you like which fit the body as well as the purse."

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Cloud 9 Asia Pacific Ltd