Demand for deliberately imperfect goods is growing in China — Channel NewsAsia
In Hangzhou, eastern China, the Taobao platform held its second Treasured Uglies art exhibition, dedicated to goods with strange, grotesque or unconventional designs. The “Ugly, But Mine” exhibition featured more than 500 products available on the platform and over 30 installations, including cockroach-shaped brooches and crab-shaped earphone cases.
As Channel NewsAsia reports, this year’s exhibition covered more than 1,200 square metres, almost twice as much as its debut edition last year. Organisers said that more than 5,000 people visited the exhibition daily, while last year’s average was about 3,000 visitors.
Rejecting a single standard of beauty
According to the outlet’s observations, millennials and Generation Z representatives likely made up the majority of visitors. Visitors interviewed said that unusual items make everyday life more interesting, while “ugly” or “cute-ugly” products can be a way of self-expression and stress relief.
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Amber Zhang, data product manager at Beijing research company BigOne Lab, linked the popularity of such goods to anti-perfectionist sentiments among younger Chinese consumers. According to her, imperfect features give objects individuality, while a perfect appearance is increasingly perceived as artificial, particularly due to the spread of artificial intelligence tools.
Unusualness as a commercial advantage
Taobao launched its annual Uglies Award online in 2020. Project head Hu Yu said that initially brands did not want to be associated with the “ugly product” label, but major plush and designer toy brands are now joining the exhibition.
For small sellers, such attention may mean growing demand. Ceramic artist Chen Ergou from Jingdezhen received an award at the fourth Uglies Award for his products, which included frog-shaped spoons. According to Hu Yu, after that, the artisan could not keep up with firing enough products in his kilns.
