In light of this year’s Qixi festival, Bulgarian designer brand BY FAR has launched a series of four gradient colour handbags encapsulating different types of love. Made exclusively for a youthful Chinese market, the dreamy collection includes bags with the names “Young Love”, “Longing”, “Solid Crush” and “Sweeping Passion”.
From July 27 to August 7, the designer accessories brand will hold a pop-up experience store in front of Shanghai’s youth-oriented TX Huaihai Mall. For a limited time, visitors can participate in the “Show love challenge” to get Polaroid photos and a chance to win limited-edition handbag gifts.
In addition to the experiential pop-up store, By Far has extended its reach into the digital realm. On July 15, the brand rolled out its first-ever limited-edition NFT project in honour of the upcoming Qixi festival. Priced at 777 RMB (115.07 USD), this exclusive series of virtual heart-shaped pendants will be available for purchase from July 27 to August 7 on Xiaohongshu’s digital art platform R-Space.
Although the novelty luxury brand previously did not have an official presence in China, its shoulder bags quickly picked up speed among Chinese consumers due to word-of-mouth on Xiaohongshu. According to By Far co-founder Valentine Ignatova, “the numerous vivid content creators on Xiaohongshu” helped the company grow and establish brand awareness before it even set foot in China.
As of today, there are over 10,000 posts on Xiaohongshu mentioning By Far, reflecting its growth in popularity among Chinese consumers. Later this year, the brand intends to open its second flagship store in Shanghai.
By harnessing the latest metaverse trends as well as creating social media-worthy experiences through its pop-up stores, By Far has not only shown its commitment to building a deeper connection with its Gen Z consumers, but it has shown the power of Xiaohongshu’s large community. International brands aiming to break into the Gen Z Chinese market should not miss out on the lifestyle-sharing platform that boasts 200 million users.
