When Leo Lee Mingyan first entered a Zara store in Japan in 2005, the 32-year-old cashier at a construction company was charmed. Bright lights, blaring dance music, and racks of boldly patterned women’s clothing adorned the space. It felt like a fashion show – nothing like the drab department stores he was used to.
“I saw a business opportunity there and asked how much it would cost to franchise,” he said. “They told me that wasn’t an option.”
Convinced that there is nothing too complicated about running a clothing business, Li decided to start something on his own. In 2006, he rented eight cramped stalls at the busy Grand View Mall Guangzhounot far from his hometown, and turned them into one huge store. He filled racks with floral dresses and bell-bottomed jeans while playing foreign music on old CDs. He also gave his store a fancy name: Urban Revivo.
Fast forward 18 years and the brand now has over 400 stores in China. It is more than double that operated in the country by Zara Parent Inditex. In 2024, Urban Revivo’s holding company, Fashion Momentum Group (FMG), reported revenue of 7 billion yuan (US$963.8 million), exceeded by domestic sales on major e-commerce platforms. Uniqlo For the second year in a row.
Rivivo store in the city of Bangkok. Photo: Yuke Xie
FMG’s ambitions now extend far beyond China’s borders. in Urban Livivo’s largest overseas store opens in Bangkok in DecemberLee said he wants to build the world’s most influential apparel powerhouse within 20 years. His goal is 200 million yuan in annual sales, most of which will come from the international market. According to Bloomberg News, in order to accelerate this plan, to accelerate this plan, this plan will be carried out by heavyweights like the former Sequoia Capital China (previously known as Sequoia Capital China) reportedly supported by.
Urban reviving is not just about wanting to be global. Faced with depressed domestic spending and a persistent property crisis, many Chinese companies are looking abroad. Official data shows that China’s non-financial foreign direct investment (ODI) increased by 10.5% from the previous year in 2024, reaching more than US$143.9 billion. For more than a decade, China has been the world’s third-largest international investor, trailing only the United States and Japan.
Adnan is a passionate doctor from Pakistan with a keen interest in exploring the world of politics, sports, and international affairs. As an avid reader and lifelong learner, he is deeply committed to sharing insights, perspectives, and thought-provoking ideas. His journey combines a love for knowledge with an analytical approach to current events, aiming to inspire meaningful conversations and broaden understanding across a wide range of topics.
