Fashion: “Lulicore”: the delectable fashion trend sweeping Chinese social media
- InsightTrendsWorld
- Apr 2
- 8 min read
Why it is the topic trending:
Emerging Fashion Trend: The article introduces a brand new fashion trend called "Lulicore" that has gained traction on Chinese social media.
Social Media Buzz in China: The trend originated and is popular on major Chinese social media platforms like Rednote (Xiaohongshu) and Douyin (Chinese TikTok).
Collaboration with Major Players: The trend's launch involved a collaboration between Rednote's REDGALA fashion event, Vogue, and a well-known toy brand's fashion icon (LABUBU from POP MART), lending it significant visibility and credibility.
Unique Aesthetic: The trend is described as a blend of brownish colors with bright pastel accents, drawing a unique visual identity inspired by the French pastry canelé.
High Engagement on Social Media: The hashtag for "Lulicore" has amassed a significant number of views and notes on Rednote, indicating substantial interest and participation.
Overview:
The article discusses the emergence of a new fashion trend called "Lulicore," which has taken Chinese social media by storm. This trend, also known as "canelé style" (可露丽风 - keluli feng), is characterized by a color palette of brownish hues combined with splashes of bright pastel shades. It was launched through a notable collaboration on the Chinese social media platform Rednote and has quickly gained popularity, particularly among users of Rednote and Douyin.
Detailed Findings:
Origin on Rednote: The trend was launched through a collaboration between REDGALA (Rednote's fashion gala), Vogue, and LABUBU (POP MART's fashion icon) on Rednote.4
Meaning of "Lulicore": "Lulicore" is a phonetic translation of "可露丽风" (keluli feng), which translates to "canelé style."
Color Palette: The core of the trend is the combination of brownish colors reminiscent of a canelé pastry with accents of bright pastel shades.
Flexibility in Color Combinations: The trend allows for various color combinations, referring to them as "toppings" or "fillings," allowing for different pairings of top and bottom or outer and inner garments.
Significant Social Media Engagement: The hashtag #可露丽风 lulicore has garnered 211.9 million views on Rednote with over 109,000 notes.
Celebrity Influence: A "canelé fitcheck" by Nana Ou-Yang received 6.67 million views on Rednote and ranked third on the platform's Hot Topic list, indicating celebrity endorsement.
Forecasted Trend: Social platforms in China, especially Rednote and Douyin, collaborate with fashion magazines each season to forecast trends, suggesting "Lulicore" is an officially recognized trend for the current season.
Connection to Previous Trends and Pantone Color: The trend is seen as a blend of popular trends from previous years and aligns with Pantone's 2025 Color of the Year, "mocha mousse," which reinforces the brown color element and the dessert theme.
Key Takeaway:
"Lulicore," or "canelé style," is a newly emerged fashion trend on Chinese social media characterized by combining brownish tones with bright pastel accents. Its launch through a significant collaboration and its rapid popularity on platforms like Rednote and Douyin highlight the influential role of social media in shaping fashion trends in China.
Main Trend: The Emergence of "Dessert-Inspired" Color Palette Fashion on Chinese Social Media
Description of the Trend (The Sweet Hue Style):
"The Sweet Hue Style" describes the emergence of fashion trends on Chinese social media that draw inspiration from the colors of popular desserts. In this case, "Lulicore" or "canelé style" embodies this trend by adopting the brownish caramelized tones of a canelé pastry and contrasting them with bright pastel shades, likened to the "topping" or "filling." This trend highlights the playful and visually appealing nature of fashion in the digital age, where culinary aesthetics can translate into popular clothing styles.
What is Consumer Motivation:
Consumer motivation includes:
Novelty and Uniqueness: The trend offers a fresh and distinct aesthetic that stands out from more common styles.
Visual Appeal: The combination of earthy browns and vibrant pastels can be eye-catching and visually pleasing.
Following Social Media Trends: A desire to participate in and adopt the latest popular trends circulating on Chinese social media platforms.
Celebrity Influence: Endorsement from celebrities like Nana Ou-Yang can significantly drive adoption of the trend.
Playfulness and Self-Expression: The dessert-inspired theme allows for a playful and creative approach to fashion and self-expression.
Alignment with Pantone Color of the Year: The connection to "mocha mousse" provides a sense of being on-trend and fashionable.
What is Driving Trend:
The trend is primarily driven by:
Social Media Trend Forecasting: The proactive role of platforms like Rednote and Douyin in forecasting fashion trends in collaboration with major fashion publications.
Influencer Collaboration: The involvement of Rednote's REDGALA, Vogue, and a popular fashion icon like LABUBU provides significant reach and credibility.
Visual Nature of Social Media: Fashion trends that are visually striking and photograph well tend to thrive on platforms like Rednote and Douyin.
Cultural Relevance (potentially): There might be a cultural resonance with the canelé pastry or the specific color combinations within the Chinese context.
What is Motivation Beyond the Trend:
Beyond the immediate trend, the motivation might connect with:
Seeking Joy and Optimism: The inclusion of bright pastel shades could reflect a broader desire for more joyful and optimistic aesthetics.
Experimentation with Style: Consumers, especially younger demographics active on social media, are often open to experimenting with new and emerging styles.
Description of Consumers Article is Referring To:
The article primarily refers to fashion-conscious users of Chinese social media platforms, particularly Rednote and Douyin, with a strong indication of engagement from younger demographics who are likely to follow fashion trends and influencers online.
Age: Likely skewed towards younger demographics, particularly Gen Z and Millennials who are heavy users of platforms like Rednote and Douyin.
Gender: Not explicitly stated, but fashion trends on social media often appeal broadly across genders.
Income: Not specified, but the accessibility of fashion trends on social media suggests it can appeal to a wide range of income levels.
Lifestyle: Likely digitally engaged, interested in fashion and beauty trends, active on social media, and potentially influenced by celebrity style.
Conclusions:
"Lulicore" represents a fresh and visually appealing fashion trend gaining significant traction on Chinese social media, driven by collaborations between major fashion players and the influence of platforms like Rednote and Douyin. Its dessert-inspired color palette and celebrity endorsement suggest it will continue to be a noteworthy trend in the Chinese fashion landscape.
Implications for Brands:
Monitor Chinese Social Media Trends: Brands, especially those looking to enter or expand in the Chinese market, should closely monitor trends emerging on platforms like Rednote and Douyin.
Consider Collaborations: Partnering with popular social media platforms, fashion magazines, or influential figures in China can be an effective way to tap into new trends.
Incorporate Trend Elements: Brands might consider incorporating the "Lulicore" color palette or aesthetic into their designs or marketing campaigns to appeal to this trend-conscious audience.
Engage with Social Media Platforms: Actively participating and creating content related to emerging trends on relevant platforms can increase brand visibility and engagement.
Implication for Society:
Social Media as a Fashion Trendsetter: This trend further highlights the powerful role of social media platforms in shaping and disseminating fashion trends, particularly in the Chinese market.
Cultural Exchange and Influence: The adoption of a trend inspired by a French pastry demonstrates the global flow of cultural influences in the fashion world.
Implications for Consumers:
Access to New Style Ideas: Social media provides consumers with easy access to discover and explore new and emerging fashion trends.
Opportunity for Creative Expression: Trends like "Lulicore" offer a framework for creative self-expression through clothing and styling.
Implication for Future:
Continued Influence of Chinese Social Media on Global Trends: The trends originating from Chinese social media platforms may increasingly influence global fashion trends in the future.
Playful and Thematic Fashion: The "Lulicore" trend suggests a potential continued interest in playful and thematically inspired fashion aesthetics.
Consumer Trend (Dessertcore Aesthetics): A growing consumer trend where fashion and beauty aesthetics draw direct inspiration from the colors, textures, and overall look of popular desserts, creating visually appealing and often whimsical styles.
Consumer Sub Trend (Social Platform-Driven Microtrends): Fashion trends are increasingly emerging and gaining rapid popularity within specific social media platforms like Rednote and Douyin, often driven by collaborations and influencer activity, leading to the rise of fast-paced "microtrends."
Big Social Trend (The Gamification of Fashion): Fashion is becoming increasingly intertwined with social media engagement and the desire to participate in online trends, leading to a more gamified approach to style adoption and sharing.
Worldwide Social Trend (East Asian Soft Power in Fashion): The growing influence of East Asian cultures, particularly China, on global fashion and beauty trends is becoming more pronounced, with trends originating in these regions gaining international attention.
Social Drive (Visual Storytelling and Aesthetics): The highly visual nature of social media platforms drives trends that are aesthetically pleasing and tell a story through colors, textures, and styling, as seen in the "Lulicore" trend inspired by a canelé.
Learnings for Brands to Use in 2025:
Actively monitor and analyze trends emerging from Chinese social media platforms like Rednote and Douyin. These can often be leading indicators of broader shifts in consumer preferences.
Be open to incorporating unexpected and creative inspirations (like food) into your design and marketing processes.
Understand the power of collaborations with social media platforms, influencers, and even seemingly unrelated brands to launch and amplify trends.
Recognize the importance of visual storytelling and create content that effectively showcases how your products align with trending aesthetics.
Strategy Recommendations for Brands to Follow in 2025:
Dedicate resources to understanding and engaging with key Chinese social media platforms relevant to your industry.
Explore potential collaborations with Chinese influencers or local brands to tap into existing trend adoption.
Consider creating limited-edition collections or product lines that subtly incorporate elements of emerging trends like "Lulicore" to test consumer interest.
Develop visually driven marketing campaigns that highlight the aesthetic appeal of your products within the context of relevant social media trends.
Final Sentence (Key Concept) Describing Main Trend: "Lulicore" exemplifies a burgeoning fashion trend where a "sweet hue style" inspired by the colors of desserts is rapidly gaining popularity on Chinese social media, highlighting the influential role of these platforms in shaping contemporary fashion.
What Brands & Companies Should Do in 2025 to Benefit from Trend and How to Do It:
Brands and companies should actively monitor Chinese social media for emerging fashion trends like "Lulicore." If the trend aligns with their brand identity and target audience, they can consider incorporating elements of the trend into their product designs or marketing campaigns. Collaborating with Chinese influencers who are early adopters of the trend can also be an effective strategy to gain visibility and connect with trend-conscious consumers in the Chinese market.
Final Note:
Core Trend:
Name: Culinary-Inspired Fashion Aesthetics
Detailed Description: Fashion trends are increasingly drawing direct inspiration from the visual characteristics of food, such as colors and textures, creating unique and often playful styles that resonate with consumers.
Core Strategy:
Name: Socially-Driven Trend Adaptation
Detailed Description: Brands should actively monitor social media platforms for emerging trends and be agile in adapting their product offerings and marketing strategies to incorporate relevant elements that resonate with online consumer culture.
Core Industry Trend:
Name: Rise of Platform-Specific Fashion Cycles
Detailed Description: Fashion trends are increasingly originating and evolving rapidly within specific social media platforms, requiring brands to have a nuanced understanding of each platform's unique user base and trend dynamics.
Core Consumer Motivation:
Name: Expressing Identity Through Trend Participation
Detailed Description: Consumers are motivated to participate in fashion trends as a way to express their identity, connect with online communities, and showcase their knowledge of current styles and aesthetics on social media.
Final Conclusion:
The "Lulicore" trend underscores the dynamic and influential nature of Chinese social media in shaping fashion. For brands looking to engage with this market in 2025, understanding and adapting to these platform-driven trends will be crucial for relevance and success.
Core Trend Detailed (Culinary-Inspired Fashion Aesthetics):
Fashion trends are increasingly drawing direct inspiration from the visual characteristics of food, such as colors and textures, creating unique and often playful styles that resonate with consumers. This trend moves beyond simply naming colors after food items and involves a more direct translation of a dish's overall appearance into a fashion aesthetic. "Lulicore," with its "canelé style" description and the combination of brownish hues and pastel accents mimicking the pastry, is a prime example. This trend highlights the creative interplay between different cultural domains and the growing desire for visually interesting and thematically coherent styles in the digital age.
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