Chongqing - In Chongqing, where old neighborhoods brim with local life and new ones steadily take shape, independent fashion brand LULUZOU has carved out its own path by embedding itself into the heart of communities. Over the past six years, the label has grown to ten stores across three cities, relying not on flashy marketing campaigns but word-of-mouth reputation—even drawing the attention of celebrities who stumbled upon the shops by chance.
Founder Zou Lulu describes her philosophy simply: comfort first. “I want to express myself and let people find resonance with what I create—then they’ll naturally accept my brand,” she said.
Unlike traditional boutiques in downtown shopping districts, LULUZOU’s community stores are designed to serve nearby residents. “They mainly serve customers within five kilometers, and it’s also more convenient for me personally,” Zou explained. “It doesn’t matter if people don’t buy anything—they can come in, enjoy the air conditioning, and have a chat. That’s nice enough.”
Almost every store’s interior is arranged by Zou herself, though she admits design is not her strongest skill. What matters more, she says, is paying attention to aesthetics and details. For example, she removes clothing tags or hides them inside pockets so garments can be worn on both sides. “I never want my customers to feel uncomfortable,” she said.
In 2019, Zou started her own brand, LULUZOU. Since then, the brand has expanded organically rather than through aggressive promotion. One turning point came when actress Jiang Yiyan walked into LULUZOU’s Dali store and bought clothes. Later, Jiang visited Zou’s shop in Chongqing while filming, and her video went viral online. The brand suddenly gained national recognition, though Zou stresses she has never paid celebrities or influencers to promote her.
“Our results in the market speak for us,” she said. “A lot of things aren’t done by the book—they grow naturally.”
Despite her success, Zou admits livestreaming has been her greatest challenge. “Now I work hard at livestreaming just so we won’t have to do it in the future,” she said. For her, online platforms are merely a way to guide people back to brick-and-mortar shops: “At my core, I belong to offline stores. Online is not my strength.”
Instead, LULUZOU focuses on tailoring its services to local lifestyles. During Chongqing’s hot summers, for example, the brand has taken its seasonal clothing and livestreams to popular vacation destinations like Fairy Mountain, allowing customers to shop comfortably while escaping the heat.
Zou insists she is not chasing scale. Although her brand has ten outlets, she envisions a future where she might close most of them to focus on just one store. “The more shops you have, the more exhausting it is. One store can represent all of me,” she said.
For Zou, who once planned to retire at 36 but postponed it after her business unexpectedly surged, the essence of LULUZOU is not expansion but authenticity. “We quietly do our work, just doing it well,” she said. “What matters is keeping things comfortable—for myself, my staff, and my customers.”
(Zhang Yu, Yan Jingwen, as interns, also contributed to this report.)