Designed to Inspire
Established in 2006, Urban Revivo (UR) is one of the first brands in China to adopt the fast fashion business model. By offering more creative designs, better quality products and more sustainable fashion, the company continues to challenge and revolutionise the conventional notion of fast fashion. Here, RLI spends some time with CEO Leo Li to learn more about this brand that takes the road unexplored.
With a mission to make high-quality fashion accessible to everyone, the goal of Urban Revivo is to establish themselves as the world’s most influential fashion brand.
Today the company is doing this through a constantly growing portfolio of over 400 stores across Asia, Europe and North America. They currently operate in China, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines, the UK and the US and have plans to enter the Japanese market with the opening of their first Tokyo store later in 2025.
This year marks a milestone for UR as they expand from Asia into Europe and North America with major store openings. In February, they opened the first UR store in North America in New York. Occupying 30,730sq ft in the city’s core SOHO shopping district, it is their largest store outside of China.
Meanwhile in May, they made their return to London and their entry into the Hong Kong market with two store openings. Located in Covent Garden, the new London store reinforces UR’s commitment to the European market, while the Hong Kong store in Harbour City helps leverage Hong Kong’s influence as an important hub in the Asia-Pacific region to drive further expansion.
Moving forward, they hope to expand their impact globally to become one of the most recognised fashion brands in the international fashion scene. “To achieve this goal, our strategy is to break into the world’s most influential fashion hubs,” explains Leo Li, CEO of Urban Revivo. “These fashion capitals not only put us in front of consumers with high spending power and high willingness to spend on fashion, but also allow us to gain early insights into regional fashion trends, enabling us to respond swiftly with localised designs.”
Believing that quality products and a unique shopping experience are essential to the overall guest experience, UR is a design-driven fashion company with over 600 in-house designers, a high amount for the fast fashion sector.
Their dual-design hubs in London and Guangzhou ensure that their offerings are both original and effectively capture local consumers’ needs and preferences. Meanwhile, their digitalised supply chain allows them to translate design concepts into products in as little as 10 days, enabling the company to respond rapidly to changing trends and diverse tastes.
UR also pays special attention to creating a unique offline experience. Unlike other major fast fashion brands, they do not apply the same standardised design to every store. Instead, they incorporate local elements in their store designs. For example, their Thailand store features an orchid-inspired art installation and their Hong Kong site includes an art piece inspired by the city’s iconic Bauhinia flower.
As our discussion lands on the subjects of social media and e-commerce, Li highlights that they are both core parts of their operations.
“In China, we are present on all major e-commerce channels and we continue to deliver a strong performance through these platforms. Outside of China, our operations are focused on our own website. As we continue to expand in Western markets, we are reinforcing the role of e-commerce in our overall strategy.”
The company has also built a strong social media network across China and overseas. Through this, UR is creating a dynamic fashion community that strengthens their presence both on- and offline.
As for AI, they are utilising the latest technologies to improve the customer experience. For instance, some UR stores feature AI styling and inventory check machines that can recommend matching products based on a given product, creating a fun and easy experience for shoppers.
Playing a pivotal part in their day-to-day operations, sustainability is a long-term strategic priority for the brand and they are committed to leading the fashion industry towards positive and lasting change.
“Our sustainable practices impact virtually every aspect of our business. We are using more eco-friendly materials, developing more environmentally-conscious products, implementing greener operations and resource-efficient production, ensuring a more sustainable supply chain. For example, we previously launched an eco-friendly capsule collection based on REPREVE – a recycled polyester fabric that is made from plastic bottles and certified by the Global Recycle Standard,” Li comments.
Embodying the spirit of continuous exploration and urban living, the ethos of UR lies in its name and how it symbolises modernity, fashion, quality and leadership. In the coming years, the brand will look to expand its number of overseas stores to 200 while further elevating their influence in the global fashion scene, especially in the US, Europe and other high-potential markets in Asia.
“As we push towards this goal, the greatest challenge facing not just us, but the entire industry right now is uncertainty in the global economy. However, we strongly believe that markets do not dictate performance – it is the companies themselves who earn success. Even in difficult macro environments, there are always companies who perform well regardless of the overall market. The key is that businesses must adapt quickly to changing consumer trends and make adjustments and innovations when necessary,” Li says.
“Outside of China, we also need to compete with well-established brands and adapt to cultural differences in each market. We are confident, however, that we are well-prepared to tackle these challenges, especially with our strong design capabilities, fast product turnover and immersive shopping experience.”
