Asian Gen Z says Monchhichi, but make it Chanel

Seeing “sex” written in Monchhichi heads on a T-shirt was likely not part of Uniqlo’s 2025 strategy planning. Yet despite risqué design iterations making the rounds on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), the Japanese stuffed monkey toys’ 50 year anniversary collaboration has become a viral sensation one year on. Around Asia, consumers have been trusted to use the fast-fashion retailer’s in-store customization UTme! iPad to design their own T-shirts or tote bags featuring the Sekiguchi character. The concept has hit the Asian Gen Z sweet spot, with fans from Thailand to China flooding social media with their personalized pieces, resulting in 1 million views under the hashtag “UniqloXMonchhichi” at the time of writing. UTMe! as a mirror of youth identity in Asia Providing innovative, novelty services to entice consumers is proving to be a powerful formula against a backdrop of tepid retail growth. The success of in-store experiences like UTme! underscores Uniqlo’s brick-and-mortar strength. Uniqlo International (excluding operations in Japan) reported strong fiscal 2025 performance, with revenue reaching 1.91 trillion Japanese yen ($12.5 billion), up 11.6% YoY, and profit rising 10.6% to 305.3 billion Japanese yen ($2.0 billion). For FY2026, parent Fast Retailing guides revenue growth of 10.3%, underpinned by continued store expansion. When counterfeit meets cute: The aesthetics of subversion While “quiet luxury” has fueled an appetite for Uniqlo’s quality basics and reputable designer tie-ups over the past few years, the Japanese casualwear retailer has demonstrated an exemplary understanding of youth interests through collaborations and its phygital strategy. One of the early adopters of the personalization fashion trend, Uniqlo has provided customizable services for more than a decade now. Today, the UTMe! Service is available in select stores around the world (including Japan, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Malaysia), boosting footfall while connecting the brand to the younger generation’s penchant for self-expression. The trend’s scale is evident on Xiaohongshu, where #tshirtcustomization has garnered 28.8 million views and #UniqloDIY has accumulated 2 million. As social media produces a universal feeling of homogeneity, with algorithms producing a globalized echo-chamber of styles, categorizable subculture fashions, and reposted content, personalized fashion is proving to be a common form of self-expression. On Xiaohongshu, users share and replicate each other’s designs, pushing creative boundaries in the process. Some consumers post provocative text-based creations that Uniqlo staff have declined to print — with posts showing rejected designs citing store policies against profanity. Meanwhile, another trend has gained traction: arranging Monchhichi faces to resemble luxury logos like Chanel’s interlocking Cs or Louis Vuitton’s LV monogram — a trend that suggests Gen Z’s shift toward more playful, ironic logo culture. According to social media posts online, some stores have sinced banned luxury logos from being printed on the t-shirts. Each adult T-shirt is priced at $13.90 (99 RMB), making it an accessible trend embracing the humor of counterfeit culture. ‘Kawaii’ as code: How Gen Z speaks through plush icons The Monchhichi customization trend is part of a larger cultural shift. Labubu’s viral success demonstrates strong consumer appetite for maximalist, kawaii-inspired products, with the Pop Mart character spawning a global collectibles phenomenon. Labubu’s evolution from Hong Kong pop-culture shelves to must-have bag charms shows the fashion potential of playful plushies. The phenomenon reflects Gen Z’s growing preference for cute aesthetics that merge childlike whimsy with sophisticated styling. Neuroscientific research from Oxford University has shown that cute stimuli activate the brain’s pleasure and reward centers, triggering dopamine release and driving impulse behavior — a mechanism luxury brands are increasingly leveraging. Western luxury houses such as Moynat, traditionally defined by heritage and restraint, are beginning to experiment with kawaii aesthetics, using characters like Labubu to create emotional connections with younger consumers. Participation over consumption The Monchhichi phenomenon offers a blueprint for engaging Gen Z: provide creative tools, embrace playful aesthetics, and let consumers co-create meaning. As customization, kawaii culture, and accessible logomania converge, brands that enable participation — not just consumption — may capture the next wave of aspirational shoppers.

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Asian Gen Z says Monchhichi, but make it Chanel