Do you still remember the advertising slogan "solemn body, auspicious life"?It is the classic slogan of Zhuang Ji, a well-known Chinese clothing brand, which has once swept the country and become the standard for successful people. And Zheng Yuanzhong, the founder of Zhuang Ji, is known as the "clothing king", with a net worth of more than 1.3 billion, ranking among the Hurun rich list.
However, this influential figure in the business world went to the abyss of failure in the diversification strategy, which eventually led to the bankruptcy of the company, and he still owed 400 million yuan, becoming a bankruptcy fugitive. What kind of story is this?What are the ups and downs of his life?
Zheng Yuanzhong was born in 1952 and is the fifth child of a rural family in Liushi, Zhejiang Province. He has had a restless heart since he was a child, daring to do things, and unwilling to be mediocre. After graduating from junior high school, he returned to his hometown to become an accountant, but he found the job boring, so he led a group of young men in the village to contract projects in other places, build tunnels, build gates, and build railways.
After several years of hard work, he accumulated some original capital, after returning to his hometown, he founded a number of township enterprises such as hardware products, bakelite electrical appliances, radio components, etc., with a keen sense of business and diligent management, he soon became the second richest man in Liushi, and was respected by the locals as the "king of electrical appliances".
In 1982, in order to rectify the economic order and crack down on speculation, the state carried out a severe clean-up of private enterprises. The "Eight Kings" of Liushi have been targeted, their businesses have been found to be illegal, their property has been confiscated, and their personal freedom has been deprived.
Zheng Yuanzhong was not spared, he was sentenced to prison for speculation, his electrical empire was razed to the ground, and his life suffered his first major setback.
After more than a year of unjust imprisonment, Zheng Yuanzhong was finally rehabilitated and released in April 1984. Instead of being discouraged by this blow, he strengthened his entrepreneurial belief. He and several friends joined forces to set up the first lean switch factory in Yueqing City, specializing in the production of electrical switches.
In 1989, when the state strictly investigated and dealt with counterfeit and shoddy electrical switches, Lean became one of the first enterprises in Liushi to obtain the production license of the Ministry of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering.
In the fall of 1991, Zheng Yuanzhong made an astonishing decision, he decided to leave the mall, take a back seat, and be admitted to the International ** Department of Wenzhou University to learn more knowledge and skills. He believes that only in this way can he become a real modern entrepreneur and adapt to the changes and competition of the market.
During his time at Wenzhou, he became acquainted with Professor Zhou Dewen, the head of the Department of International Trade, and the two were like-minded and hit it off. After graduating, they started Willis Apparel together and began their clothing journey.
In 1995, Zheng Yuanzhong took a fancy to a clothing company called Zhuang Ji, which was a veteran enterprise with a history of more than 40 years, but due to poor management, it was already in trouble. Zheng Yuanzhong decided to acquire this company, restructure the brand, and build it into a high-end ** brand.
He hired a professional designer and management team, introduced advanced production equipment and technology, improved the quality and style of products, and enhanced the image and grade of the brand. He also set Zhuang Ji's advertising slogan as "solemn body, auspicious life", which means that men who wear Zhuang Ji can not only show their dignity and temperament, but also enjoy a happy and auspicious life.
This advertising slogan soon spread throughout the country and became a classic symbol of Zhuangji. In the early 2000s, Zheng Yuanzhong made another bold move, he recruited Chow Yun-fat, Andy Lau, Leslie Cheung and other first-line stars as Zhuang Ji's spokesperson, vigorously promoting Zhuang Ji's image and influence.
These stars were all influential figures at that time, their image and style were in line with Zhuang Ji's positioning, and their endorsements greatly increased Zhuang Ji's popularity and reputation, and also greatly increased Zhuang Ji's sales and market share.
Zhuang Ji has become one of the most popular brands in China, Zheng Yuanzhong is once again known as the "clothing king", and his wealth has also reached 1.3 billion, on the Hurun rich list.
This is the history of the rise and fall of the "clothing king" Zheng Yuanzhong, a legendary story of coming out of the countryside and experiencing three ventures, two bankruptcies, one imprisonment and one escape. His life has both brilliant achievements and tragic failures, countless honors and endless regrets.