By Far conquered the red carpet — then the 'It bag' demand stopped

By Far launched in 2016 in Sofia, Bulgaria, and rose to global prominence through celebrity endorsements on Instagram — the brand's mini bags and chunky-heeled sandals became fixtures on red carpets and influencer feeds. Riding the wave of Western 'cool girl' fashion brands entering China, By Far opened a Tmall flagship store and physical retail locations in the country's top shopping districts.

By 2025, By Far had closed all its China stores. The brand was listed among international fashion brands that had zeroed out their China presence in 2025, joining a growing list of mid-market Western labels that entered China with buzz but failed to sustain momentum in the world's most competitive fashion market.

The exit reflected the structural challenge for influencer-driven brands in China: the same social-media virality that created demand could just as quickly evaporate, and without a strong local team or deep market understanding, a celebrity-backed brand name alone was not enough to survive the shift to domestic competitors and price-conscious consumers.