When Tom Holland and Zendaya touched down in Shanghai for the highly anticipated premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, fans expected glamour. Zendaya delivered her signature red-carpet perfection, stunning in an archival web-inspired couture gown. But it was Holland who accidentally spun a very different kind of web, sparking a viral retail frenzy across Chinese social media.
Battling the intense Shanghai summer heat during a sightseeing stroll near Yuyuan Garden, the British actor ducked into a flagship store for the Chinese fashion brand SAMIR. Seeking relief, he purchased a simple pair of washed-black, knee-length denim shorts—and changed into them right on the spot.
What started as a desperate attempt to cool down quickly morphed into a marketing goldmine. As paparazzi and fan photos of Holland sporting the shorts (and carrying the brand’s budget-friendly shopping bag) flooded Weibo and Xiaohongshu, SEMIR didn’t miss a beat. The brand immediately capitalized on the moment, updating their e-commerce platforms with “Tom Holland Same Style” banners and launching a “Shanghai is simply too hot” promotional campaign.
Right: The Chinese internet also running with Holland’s OOTD in their own “Same Style” promo.
Both images via Xiaohongshu/Fashion | Mirror Language.
Within hours, the shorts sold out in core sizes online, with transaction volumes skyrocketing across major platforms. Even SEMIR’s basic branded shopping bag became a statement in itself.
It’s the ultimate youth fashion crossover: a global superhero casually endorsing a budget-friendly domestic label just to beat the heat. As Spider-Man: Brand New Day gears up for its massive release, SEMIR is already riding the high of being the unexpected fashion star of the press tour. And since you’re here, you might as well enjoy the trailer for the film above if you haven’t seen it already.
Cover image via Instagram/filmhotpot.
