How Moon Boots won the hearts of Chinese Gen Z

Moon Boot’s chunky silhouettes have secured sustained traction among Chinese Gen Z consumers by aligning with three converging aesthetics: après-ski style, kidcore, and kawaii culture. “The chunky, cartoonish shape of Moon Boots fits the current Y2K revival and the so‑called ‘ugly‑cute’ aesthetic, helping young consumers signal that they are trendy, ironic, and not afraid of looking a bit over the top,” Chinese fashion expert Junjie Wang tells Jing Daily. The brand’s China momentum reflects deliberate strategic planning rather than trend opportunism. Since launching on Tmall in September 2021, owner Tecnica Group has prioritized China as a key growth market alongside the U.S. The company’s April 2025 appointment of Andrea Dorigo as CEO, succeeding Giovanni Zoppas, signals intent to balance heritage with global expansion — protecting Moon Boot’s cultural cachet while advancing deeper into lifestyle territory. Sales have surged nearly fivefold since 2020, driven by nostalgia cycles and marketing that emphasizes product distinctiveness over conventional storytelling. On Gen Z-dominated social platform Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), engagement metrics underscore the brand’s reach: the hashtag #Moonboot has generated more than 14.1 million views, with users continuing to style the padded silhouettes well into fall — mirroring last year’s extended seasonal cycles. The boots are adding a playful edge to minimalist wardrobes, functioning as a counterpoint to quiet luxury aesthetics in the same way Labubu charms accessorized high-end outfits. Like Crocs and Ugg, Moon Boot has achieved global recognition through a distinctly branded silhouette that is unique, and consequently instantly-recognizable. In a market where trends often flare and fade at algorithmic speed, the brand’s staying power signals a distinct cultural fit. “There are several Gen Z consumer behaviors in China that have contributed to Moon Boot’s popularity,” Wang says. “First, in addition to the K-pop effect, there is a strong scene-driven spending pattern around winter sports and ice-snow tourism.” Collaboration and distribution K-pop group Babymonster fronted the November 2024 Moon Boot x Adidas campaign, lending the brand both regional star power and algorithmic reach. Recent collaborations — including a Spring 2025 project with Palace, a Fall 2025 Jacquemus partnership, and December saw ENG collaborate to present its first limited-time pop-up space, "Snowy Horseback Riding," at ENG's Lujiazui Center store in Shanghai. While in February 2026, the brand collaborated with VandyThePink, demonstrating a continued focus on subcultural credibility over mass-market saturation. Retail distribution has reinforced the brand’s China positioning. Pop-up appearances at Beijing’s SKP and partnerships with multi-brand retailers like ENG in Shanghai, Hangzhou, and Chengdu have embedded Moon Boot within the country's fashion-forward urban circuits. The Italian brand has repositioned itself from après-ski heritage product to Gen Z fashion staple over the past two fall seasons. While competitors pursued stealth wealth and logo minimalism, Moon Boot differentiated through nostalgia, playfulness, and maximalist design. Kawaii maximalism For Chinese Gen Z, Moon Boot taps into a kawaii-adjacent aesthetic that combines childlike whimsy with ironic cool. The boots’ exaggerated proportions and retro sci-fi origins align with a generation fluent in bold visual storytelling and meme culture. A thriving maximalist appetite propelled Kidcore throughout Q2 2025, as documented in Jing Daily’s Chinese Gen Z: Value-Driven Mega Spenders report. The Xiaohongshu-trending aesthetic — defined by childlike fashion with clashing colors, nostalgic IPs, and playful charms — draws heavily from Sanrio fandoms and plush-figure culture like Labubu. Kidcore offers Gen Z consumers a visual counterpoint to minimalism. Just as much as they add a little cartoon-like chaos to outfits, Moon Boots also deliver on comfort. As fashion conversations shift to emotional utility, Moon Boots combine comfort with statement style. They also sit in the accessible price range while still offering durability — a lower-tier luxury consumption trend that’s being reflected on a global scale, with high-street premium brands like Massimo Dutti and Cos recently appearing on the Lyst Index of Hottest Brands for Q4 2025. What Moon Boot’s China story reveals is a shift in how Gen Z engages with fashion brands. The rising number of outfit posts on Xiaohongshu featuring the footwear reflects style’s herd mentality, as well as the power of finessing a careful strategy that involves a focus on East Asia retail, and carefully selected brand collaborations. The brand’s success hinges on three elements: Y2K-era aesthetic appeal, functional design, and culturally attuned China market positioning.

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How Moon Boots won the hearts of Chinese Gen Z