MAPIC Retail Interview : Urban Revivo, China
By this summer China-based fashion retailer Urban Revivo (UR) — sometimes dubbed ‘Asia’s answer to Zara’ — will have stores in New York, London, and Hong Kong, with further openings in Tokyo, the Middle East and India planned for this year. Currently, Urban Revivo has over 400 stores worldwide, mostly in China, but also including over 20 locations in Singapore, Thailand, and The Philippines, along with design centres in London, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. In 2021, Urban Revivo launched urbanrevivo.com globally, sells on the Asos site, and the company drops hundreds of new styles every week, designing over 10,000 styles a year.
Urban Revivo in China
MAPIC: Tell us a little about Urban Revivo
Leo Li: Urban Revivo aims to stand out by focusing on original design, faster product turnover, tech-driven retail, and immersive shopping experiences. This approach is aimed at building a unique and distinct brand identity. We have a design-driven approach, with a design team of around 600 members, and each store offers a distinct concept, differing significantly from Shein’s online-first model.
Urban Revivo store
MAPIC: What are your current plans amid tariff negotiations?
Leo Li: Tariffs have a very limited impact on consumer retail, but Urban Revivo continues to monitor the situation. To address potential tariff increases, we plan to optimise our cost structure and global sourcing strategies and of course negotiate effectively to mitigate the impact of any tariffs. Urban Revivo has seen significant success in China and strong growth in Asia, making it the right time to expand internationally. The increasing consumer acceptance of emerging brands presented a perfect opportunity for UR to enter the US market. The United States, as the world’s largest consumer market, has substantial purchasing power and represents a crucial step in UR’s global expansion.
Urban Revivo store
MAPIC: You have just opened in London, what are your main objectives for expansion?
Leo Li: London’s influential role as a global fashion trendsetter makes the UK a pivotal strategic market for UR. Following our New York debut earlier this year, the opening of our London flagship marks another international milestone that reinforces UR’s position in the global fashion landscape. We hope our success in the UK will demonstrate the strength of our brand and add momentum to our ongoing global expansion. Given that further expansion is dependent on many complex factors, it is difficult to predict the exact number of stores to expect in the future. Currently, UR plans to open a second store in the US within the year.
The new Urban Revivo store just opened in London
