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Come Friday, August 1st, and it’s coming, you might think sophisticated handbag shoppers would be eyeing understated leather goods or perhaps some heritage craftsmanship. Well, think again. At Takashimaya’s Level 2, grown professionals are lining up for wire-mesh bags adorned with Pikachu charms and Jigglypuff accessories. The Fall Winter 2025 POKÉMON COLLECTION by ANTEPRIMA has landed, and frankly, it’s yet another anime merchandise drop. But for good reasons that reveal something rather telling about where Asian luxury consumption is heading.
Is this groundbreaking? Hardly. When the Italian accessories house known for its distinctive wirebag craftsmanship decided to collaborate with the world’s most lucrative media franchise, they joined a well-established trend of luxury brands chasing character-driven sales. What makes this worth examining isn’t revolutionary design thinking, but rather how it reflects documented shifts in Asian consumer behaviour and the growing fatigue with traditional luxury positioning.
Following Familiar Patterns: The Character Accessory Boom
Let’s establish some context here. The figurine segment dominated the market with a market share of over 37% in 2024, driven by the rising global popularity of anime culture, especially among Gen Z and millennials, according to Grand View Research. The broader anime market tells an even clearer story: valued at approximately USD 29.5 billion in 2024, with projections indicating it will reach around USD 67.7 billion by 2033, reflecting a Compound Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 9.4%.
But here’s what makes this ANTEPRIMA collaboration particularly telling: it arrives just as the Labubu phenomenon has demonstrated exactly how Asian consumers approach character-driven luxury accessories. According to Pop Mart, The Monsters merchandise generated $419.31 million globally in 2024, with Labubu accounting for the majority. When brands see numbers like these, jumping on the character collaboration bandwagon becomes less about innovation and more about market response.
That said, ANTEPRIMA’s approach feels decidedly more thoughtful than the typical licensing grab. The Milan-based brand has spent decades perfecting its wire-cord construction technique, creating accessories that occupy a curious space between structured and fluid, practical and sculptural. Adding Pokémon elements to this foundation creates something genuinely hybrid rather than simply slapping cartoon characters onto existing designs.
Beyond Childhood Nostalgia: Following Familiar Patterns
For Asian consumers experiencing what might best be described as heritage narrative fatigue, these Pokémon-adorned wireframes tap into a documented trend. The recent Labubu phenomenon provides clear evidence of this consumer behaviour: according to Campaign Asia, from Bangkok to Ho Chi Minh City, collectible art toys are charming Southeast Asia’s adults with a mix of nostalgia, creativity, and accessible luxury.
The pattern is straightforward. When BLACKPINK’s Lisa or Rihanna attach character charms to their luxury bags, they demonstrate a specific consumer preference: personalising expensive accessories with affordable, character-driven additions. As WWD notes, Labubu manufactured by Chinese toymaker Pop Mart has become a favourite of top stylists, designers, and K-pop sensations, positioning itself at the top of the bag charm trend.
ANTEPRIMA’s POKÉMON COLLECTION follows this established playbook. Rather than pioneering new territory, they’re applying Italian craftsmanship to proven consumer demand. The question isn’t whether this represents design innovation, but whether luxury brands can execute character collaborations without compromising their core aesthetic principles.
Take the Ditto-inspired piece, measuring W24cm x H20cm with its curved silhouette and magnetic closure. The detachable wire strap features playful buttoned circles and twisted wire details that enhance visual appeal while maintaining functionality. It’s Pokémon, certainly, but executed with Italian precision that elevates the reference beyond mere fan service.
The PIKACHU STANDARD Z WIREBAG showcases this thoughtful approach. Rather than simply printing Pikachu’s face onto fabric, designers incorporated the character’s iconic red cheeks through strategic colour placement on the strap, while the lightning-bolt tail appears as a structural element. It’s character recognition through construction rather than surface graphics.
Wear any piece from this collection to client meetings or weekend brunches and experience the curious satisfaction that comes from owning luxury goods that acknowledge contemporary culture rather than retreating into heritage narratives.
The Accessibility Factor: Character Accessories as Entry Points
What sets this collection apart? ANTEPRIMA’s signature wire-cord technique creates accessories with an almost architectural quality, each bag existing somewhere between sculpture and utility. When applied to Pokémon characters, this construction method transforms recognisable imagery into sophisticated accessories without losing essential charm.
The timing here matters. As market observers have posited, one reason trends like Labubu, or luxury bag charms more broadly, have boomed since mid-2024 is that the accessories have become a more affordable entry point to the luxury market. Character-driven accessories offer consumers a way to engage with luxury brands without committing to traditional price points or aesthetic codes.
Wear any piece from this collection to client meetings or weekend brunches and experience the curious satisfaction that comes from owning luxury goods that acknowledge contemporary culture rather than retreating into heritage narratives.
When Heritage Narratives Meet Consumer Fatigue
This collaboration arrives at a moment when consumers are experiencing what might best be termed traditional luxury offering fatigue. European luxury houses have long relied on exclusivity and heritage narratives to justify premium pricing, but younger consumers increasingly seek authenticity, creativity, and cultural relevance over conventional status symbols.
The POKÉMON COLLECTION launch strategy reflects this market understanding, treating the collaboration as product evolution rather than a marketing stunt.
The ANTEPRIMA POKÉMON collection acknowledges consumer preferences without condescension. While European brands continue pushing heritage and exclusivity narratives, consumers here have demonstrated clear interest in brands that understand their cultural references and emotional landscapes. Pokémon isn’t just nostalgic entertainment in this region; it’s shared cultural vocabulary spanning multiple generations.
Ready to Catch Fashion’s Next Evolution?
As traditional luxury increasingly feels disconnected from contemporary life, collaborations like ANTEPRIMA’s POKÉMON COLLECTION offer glimpses of fashion’s potential future. These aren’t desperate attempts to court younger demographics; they’re recognition that luxury’s definition is expanding beyond conventional boundaries.
Turns out, sophisticated craftsmanship and playful references aren’t mutually exclusive after all. When Italian wire-weaving techniques meet Japanese character design, something genuinely new emerges. Whether this represents a permanent shift or a temporary trend remains to be seen, but one thing feels certain: the era of luxury taking itself too seriously might finally be ending.
The ANTEPRIMA POKÉMON Fall Winter 2025 COLLECTION invites fashion enthusiasts to embrace both quality and joy, sophistication and whimsy. In a world increasingly divided between serious business and frivolous entertainment, perhaps accessories that bridge these worlds aren’t just clever marketing but necessary cultural evolution.
The POKÉMON COLLECTION by ANTEPRIMA is available at ANTEPRIMA online store and ANTEPRIMA/WIREBAG boutiques, including Takashimaya Department Store Level 2.
