China's brand Uooyaa's London Pop-Up Is Making Fashion Fun

Forbes

5 hours ago

Uooyaa's temporary pop-up store in Brewer Street, London runs from 3 June to the end of August.
It's official. We have entered the cutie-verse. From baby animals to childish drawings, Labubu to Mary Janes, all things cute have entered the mainstream.
Chinese brand Uooyaa is bringing its playful aesthetic to London. On 13 June, the Shanghai label opened a pop-up store in London's Soho area which will run for 3 months. Over that time, the temporary store is set to become a hub of activity: collections will change every few weeks; an ongoing style lab, curated by the UK stylist Emily Evans, will offer one-on-one styling experiences while the street artist Rebel Pencil —whose cheerful designs inspired by London life decorate the Brewer Street windows—will host activations like live-painting in the vibrant space at the heart of Brewer Street.
This joy lies at the heart of the brand's DNA and founder Alex Yin says that 'having fun is an important attitude towards life.' And it extends to the coy designs. The Soho space is full of playful pieces such as dégradé sailor tops, 3-D flower dresses, and patchwork skirts. Trompe l'oeil and hand-drawn illustrations decorate cadet coats and denim work jackets. This season, felines are a recurring motif, with cats appliquéd on shirts or embroidered on tapestry jackets.
'We never overproduce, but almost every season, our coats tend to sell out,' explains the founder Alex Yin who splits his time between London and China. Yin, who graduated from the Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology (BIFT) in 1997 with a degree in art and fashion, started his career at Metersbonwe —then a start-up. Over a decade, he rose to the role of creative director of the conglomerate which at its peak, operated over 5,000 stores across China.
After overseeing Metersbonwe's expansion into a billion-dollar company, Yin then set his sights on building his own Shanghai brand. He struck gold again, making Uooyaa a household name in China within 10 years. With 80 standalone stores in Tier 1 cities, it ranks consistently in the top-selling lists on Tmall. As of December 2024 (the company's most recent figures), it had generated around £62 million in sales for the year.
Now, it's looking outward. The London pop-up follows a store in Tokyo in May 2025, hinting at a global expansion strategy. 'We might be an established brand in China but we are new to Japan and the UK market, so we are starting from a showroom to a pop-up store to test our assumptions,' says Yin who is using the pop-up to understand how the market responds to his products before 'potentially investing in a permanent store.' Already the feedback has exceeded his expectations during the week-long soft launch.
Inside Chinese brand Uooyaa's London pop-up store with feline-inspired designs.
Stylist Evans, who has been collaborating with Uooyaa across several seasons, says it hits a particular sweet spot—especially when it comes to London consumers. 'It always adds a little unexpected twist which feels very original. I think customers here [in the UK] embrace a little quirky edge. Plus, keeping the client interested with frequent drops and good quality is always a good move,' Evans says.
Uooyaa's appeal can be seen in the context of China's rising cultural power. Within that, London has been an especially pertinent draw. In May, Chinese company Urban Revivo opened a 3-floor store nearby in Covent Garden. Both Pop Mart, the toymaker whose iconic character Labubu has become a worldwide sensation and drinks company Hey Tea, which has been tapping the growing bubble tea trend, have stores in the UK capital.
Meimei Zhao, founder of marketing agency Variety Plus, says that while it may seem like more and more Chinese brands are gaining attention in the West, it's simpler than that. 'There will always be space for brands that speak to our most basic human needs — happiness, joy, and emotional connection — no matter where they come from,' she explained.
For Yin too, this global shift is 'more of a coincidence than a calculated move.' Uooyaa's origin isn't the core of the brand. Instead, it's addressing a lack of fun fashion and interesting clothes. 'What defines Uooyaa is playful and bold designs. With the world a more uncertain place, our design can provide a much-needed source of joy,' he says. And who can argue with that?
Uooyaa's windows have been decorated by London street artist Rebel Pencil who will host activations like live-painting in the pop-up store