As a major “engine” for economic growth of Suzhou, where the total retail sales of consumer goods grew by 4.2% year-on-year in the first five months of this year, SIP is leading an all-around consumption upgrading in the city relying on the thriving “debut economy”, which includes a range of economic activities related to the launch of new products, new business models, new services and new technologies, and the opening of new stores.

Suzhou Center Mall, a landmark in SIP, welcomed 60 new brands in the first half of the year, including 27 making their appearance in Suzhou for the first time.

Suzhou Village, an outlets mall which is a member within British company Value Retail’s Bicester Village Shopping Collection, has also demonstrated strong appeal to various brands. Recently, Lululemon, a Canadian multinational athletic apparel retailer, and Rituals, an international brand offering unique luxury lifestyle products, opened stores at the mall, which are the first of their kind in East China’s Jiangsu province. So far, the mall has attracted about 90 “first stores” of luxury, lifestyle, sports and other brands.

In addition to new stores, novel activities contribute a lot to the popularity of these commercial complexes, such as the fashion show themed “Happy Tour of the Pets” at Suzhou Village, and the pop-up exhibitions at Suzhou Center Mall for cartoon fans.

SIP is crafting an integrated commercial ecosystem for the development of “debut economy”, which it regards as not only the core engine for business upgrading, but also a key driving force for boosting urban vitality.

August 1, 2025