Tom Holland's surprise Semir purchase spins into a sales boost

British actor Tom Holland has unexpectedly turned a casual Shanghai shopping trip into a marketing win for Chinese apparel brand Semir ahead of the China premiere of Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

On July 23, Chinese social media users shared photos of Holland walking through Shanghai carrying a Semir shopping bag while wearing the brand's washed-black denim shorts.

Holland, who arrived in Shanghai for the film's July 24 premiere, reportedly stopped by Semir's store to escape the summer heat. He purchased a pair of knee-length denim shorts and changed into them on the spot.

According to Semir's store listings, the Summer 2026 shorts are priced at 239 yuan ($35.3), with a promotional price of 159 yuan.

The unexpected celebrity appearance quickly turned into a marketing opportunity. Beginning on the afternoon of July 23, Semir launched promotions across social media and e-commerce platforms. Product listings on Douyin, Tmall, and Xiaohongshu, or RedNote, were updated with a "Tom Holland Same Style" label. Even the 9.9-yuan Semir shopping bag carried by Holland became an unexpected viral symbol, which the brand incorporated into its promotional campaign.