Beijing - China

Beauty is no longer the only thing that attracts visitors in China; The city of Hangzhou embraced a completely different experience, entitled “Ugly, But Mine”, which celebrates strange designs and products that deliberately move away from the ideal image, in an interactive exhibition that turns what was once “ugly” into an element of attraction, entertainment and a new consumer culture.

500 odd objects in one exhibition

The exhibition, organized by the Taobao platform, extended over 1,200 square metres, and included more than 30 art installations and more than 500 unconventional products, from collectible characters and designs inspired by Chinese folklore, to everyday products in ironic and unusual shapes. The current version is approximately twice the size of the first version, which reflects the expanding interest in this type of experiment.

“Ugly” turns into a market

The phenomenon is no longer just a material for pictures and videos on social media platforms. Since Taobao launched the Uglies Award initiative in 2020, cumulative sales of related products have exceeded 230 million yuan, or about $34.3 million. The platform says that tens of millions of young people have interacted with this trend, which is based on humor, difference, and expression of personal identity.
Those in charge of the initiative describe these purchases as part of “emotional consumption.” The buyer is not just looking for a practical product, but rather a piece that sparks conversation and gives him a way to express his personality.

From an online store to a reason to visit

Touristically, the importance of the experience lies in the transfer of a strange digital product from the phone screen to an exhibition that can be visited, photographed inside, and interacted with.

This is a formula that may open the door to entertainment destinations, shopping centers and hotels to offer temporary exhibitions and concept stores that do not rely on traditional beauty, but rather on the element of surprise and the ability to share the experience through social media.

Today's visitor is not always looking for the most beautiful; Sometimes it's enough for him to find something strange enough to talk about after the trip.