Fanfare as Swedish 18th-century Replica Ship Returns From China

A replica of the Swedish East India Company's replica watches, gucci replica</a> etc,
18th century merchant vessel, the Goetheborg,Goetheborg III, was constructed in Gothenburg
returned home to Sweden on Saturday amidentirely using methods believed to have been in
festive celebrations after a two-year voyage touse in the 18th century.
China.The replica is, howeve, not entirely faithful to the
Thousands of leisure boats crowded the outskirtsoriginal.
of the harbour in the southwestern city ofA spokeswoman said its ranges would be priced
Gothenburg as tens of thousands of onlookers"higher" than in the US, reflecting its desire to be
massed on the docks to watch the Goetheborgregarded as a premium brand alongside
sail in to port after retracing the original ship'scompetitors such as Reiss and Jigsaw. It will also
route to and from Shanghai, images broadcast livehave to claw back the higher cost of doing
on television showed.business in the UK. Dresses are likely to cost
The ship fired a 21-gun royal salute under a blazingupwards of 100, at least double their Gap
sun as it entered the port.equivalents.
Chinese President Hu Jintao, who was in SwedenRichard Hyman, who runs Verdict Consulting, a
for a state visit, boarded the vessel along withretail consultancy, said: "It will certainly struggle to
Sweden's King Carl XVI Gustaf and Queen Silviapersuade people of its value credentials. I think it
after it docked, to the strains of traditionalwill be very difficult for them."
Chinese folk music.Even analysts backing Banana Republic to
The original ship, the East Indiaman Goetheborg,succeed, including Bryan Roberts, of Planet Retail,
was returning from its third two-year voyage tobelieve it could find this year tough going. "If you
China in 1745 with a full cargo when it ran into ahad to pick a time to enter the UK clothing sector
rock at the entrance to the Gothenburg port.it probably wouldn't be 2008," he said.
Within view of the harbour it sank slowly inThis time around, the crew did not have to share
shallow waters. While the crew was rescued,space with cattle, and they were able to enjoy
almost nine tonnes of china were lost andthe luxury of showers and toilets.
recovered only in the late 1980s by volunteerOther modern amenities were water tanks,
divers.smoke detectors and even five marine engines
A third of the cargo, which also included tea, silkdonated by Swedish company Volvo.
and spices, was however salvaged and sold atThe Goetheborg left Gothenburg in October 2005.
the time, making the expedition a profitable oneIts first port of call was Cadiz, Spain, sailing on to
anyway.Brazil, South Africa, Australia and Indonesia before
On Saturday, the replica fired a gun salute afterreaching Guangzhou and Shanghai in China in July
passing the spot where the original sank 2622006.
years ago.On its return voyage, it stopped in Singapore and
The 40-meter (133-feet) long and 10-meterHong Kong among other ports, and last week in
(34-feet) wide replica, Such as <a "> replicaLondon the Tower Bridge was opened and a gun
handbags,salute fired.