626In recent years, the global fast fashion industry has maintained steady growth.
According to data from verifiedmarketreports, the global fast fashion market size is valued at $202.2 billion in 2024, and it is expected that between 2026 and 2033, the market's average annual compound growth rate will reach 5.4%.
By 2033, the global fast fashion market size is expected to exceed $321.1 billion.
Image source: verifiedmarketreports
There is a company that foresaw the great potential for fast fashion brands to go global, seized the opportunity to expand overseas in 2019, and in just a few years achieved an impressive annual sales of over 2.8 billion RMB.
That company isHangzhou fast fashion clothing brand Urbanic.
Image source: Google
Targeting emerging markets, avoiding red ocean competition
According to reports, Urbanic is an overseas fast fashion brand under Hangzhou Meifeier Technology Co., Ltd., founded in 2019.
Unlike many Chinese brands that choose mature markets such as Europe and the United States as their first choice for overseas expansion, Urbanic took a different path, focusing on emerging markets such as India, Brazil, and Mexico.
These regions have huge consumption potential but relatively mild competition, giving Urbanic brand plenty of room for development.
Urbanic targets young middle-class users aged 20 to 44, with product pricing around 100 yuan, which meets the pursuit of quality and price ratio among consumers in these regions, allowing the Urbanic brand to quickly win market favor.
Within just 6 months of launch, it achieved monthly sales of several million US dollars.
According to information, the Urbanic brand also accelerated its expansion through financing.
Less than a year after its founding, it received angel and Series A financing from investors including 9F Venture Capital and Sequoia Capital.
In 2020, it also received tens of millions of dollars in Series A+ financing from Fosun RZ Capital, helping the brand further increase investment in supply chain and technology.
In 2023, Urbanic once again received $150 million in Series C financing to expand the Latin American market.
It is this strategy of focusing on emerging markets and gradual expansion that has allowed the Urbanic brand to avoid fierce competition in mature markets and find its own growth path.
Image source: Google
Social media marketing: localized operation is key
Bringing products to emerging markets is not easy; it requires reaching more potential users through social media platforms.
The Urbanic brand has put a lot of effort into social media marketing, leveraging platforms like TikTok and YouTube to let more consumers see and get to know it.
TikTok: Regional operation, precise targeting
To accurately cover user groups in different countries, the Urbanic brand has set up independent TikTok accounts for different countries, with content styles adapted to local preferences.
For example, the TikTok account @urbanic_brasil for the Brazilian market has accumulated 868,700 followers and 7.8 million likes so far, making it the best-performing account among all.
The clothing promoted in its videos focuses on healthy, capable, and comfortable styles, directly addressing the pain points of local consumers.
Image source: TikTok
In response to the differentiated aesthetic needs of young people in the Mexican market, the TikTok account @urbanic_mx for the Mexican market focuses on promoting avant-garde and fashionable styles in its videos, catering to local users' pursuit of trendy elements.
So far, this account has accumulated 173,300 followers and 18,900 likes.
This localized promotional strategy clearly helps reduce the sense of distance between the brand and users, bringing them closer together and converting more local consumers into Urbanic buyers.
Image source: TikTok
In addition to refined account operation by region, the Urbanic brand also collaborates with local influencers for joint promotion.
For example, targeting the Brazilian market, the brand partnered with local TikTok influencer @sthe_viick, who has 875,200 followers, to shoot a video sharing new outfit styles from Urbanic.
Image source: TikTok
In the video, influencer sthe_viick matches Urbanic's new clothes according to her own style preferences, showing users the effect after wearing them.
According to platform data feedback, the promotional video performed very well. So far, this TikTok video has exceeded one million views and received 76,400 likes.
Many users were attracted by the outfits and asked about purchasing methods in the comments section:
"Where did the lace top come from? You are so beautiful, ma'am."
"I can't find these clothes, where can I buy them?"
It can be seen that promotional videos featuring local influencers personally trying on clothes are more easily accepted by local users.
Image source: TikTok
YouTube: Professional reviews, building trust
On YouTube, Urbanic also collaborates with vertical bloggers, but the video content differs from TikTok. In addition to sharing outfit styles, product reviews are added.
Fashion blogger shivani kapoor, who has 123,000 subscribers, is a partner of Urbanic and filmed a detailed review video for several Urbanic jeans.
So far, this video has received 32,000 views.
In the video, blogger shivani kapoor shows the effect of trying on each pair of jeans, and explains the fabric, fit, and suitable body types in detail to users.
Image source: YouTube
Many users commented below the video that this kind of sharing is very useful:
"Jeans look great on you, your outfit sharing is my source of inspiration."
"Your choices are always top-notch, I will use them as reference too."
"You don't know how much your sharing has helped me. You are one of my favorite YouTube bloggers."
Image source: YouTube
From these real comments in the section above, we can see that this kind of real-person review outfit sharing video has great reference value for many potential users and helps promote conversion.
Building independent sites: enhancing brand control
In addition to using social media platforms for brand promotion, Urbanic also attaches great importance to building sales channels and has set up overseas independent sites. The existence of independent sites allows users to place orders directly on the site, undoubtedly reducing the brand's reliance on third-partye-commerce platforms.
Urbanic's independent site is designed to be simple and clear, with products clearly categorized, making it very convenient for users to browse. At the same time,the brand also adjusts the website style according to the season's featured new products.
For example, the current new product is the black and red plaid series, so the independent site adopts a minimalist style to reinforce the brand's tone.
Image source: Urbanic
In addition, the Urbanic brand has also added a charity section to its independent site to connect and communicate emotionally with users.
For example, it has partnered with the Earth Angels Welfare Foundation to launch an initiative to teach English to children and young people in marginalized urban communities in India, helping them improve their life skills.
This transmission of social responsibility allows users to feel the warmth of the brand and increases their goodwill towards it. If any business friends reading this article are considering building an overseas independent site, it is definitely worth learning from.
Image source: Urbanic
Inspiration for domestic brands: emerging markets are worth cultivating
Through Urbanic's case we can draw a conclusion: going global is not the only path to Europe and America.
Emerging markets have huge consumption potential and a relatively relaxed competitive environment, making them more suitable for small and medium-sized brands to find breakthroughs.
For domestic companies intending to go global, instead of struggling to survive in red ocean markets, it is better to focus on the rising emerging markets, maybe you will be the next “Urbanic”!
