Winter 2023-2024 Lucky Pack Round Up!
Lucky Packs, or “Fukubukuro” / 福袋 (sometimes called “Lucky Bags”, “Happy Bags”, “Happy Packs”, “Happy Sets” or sometimes “Special Sets”) are blind bags of clearance merchandise that you can buy from Japanese stores at the end of the year. It’s believed that keeping old things into the new year is bad luck, so to get rid of all of last year’s clearance that didn’t sell in winter clearance sales, shops will put it in these blind bags and then sell them at a huge discount. It’s a great way to get a lot of brand new stuff for very cheap… as long as you like and fit into pretty much everything a brand makes. Be aware though; you will not get the best selling, most perfect item from the brand of your dreams. If they had a dud item this season, chances are that’s what you are going to get.
I’ve been posting these round-up lists for a decade now (I believe the first one I did was 2013-2014), and I’ve noticed a big shift over the years. When I first started as a lolita around 2008-2009-ish, Meta’s lucky packs were really popular with people on EGL LJ because they were a good way to get expensive lolita clothing for cheap. Lucky Packs really ramped up over the next couple years and by the time I posted my first Lucky Pack Round Up, it was a whole spectacle where multiple brands were making multiple custom prints or custom colors you could only get in these new year’s lucky packs / special sets, and these were selling out and being scalped for huge profits. Then the brands upped the production numbers and those sold… until they didn’t. After a few years we started to see Angelic Pretty breaking apart special set packs and selling the pieces and parts from them to get rid of them months after the initial release. The sets started to become less of a great deal, have less in them, be more normal release like in price. And some of the brands who had jumped onto the custom release train, jumped back off.
Brands also started releasing their lucky packs earlier and earlier, with many releasing around American Black Friday or Chinese Single’s Day (11/11). It became harder and harder to make this list, because I started having to start looking for info in October. You may have noticed this list is being posted mid December. I didn’t start early this year, I took on too many responsibilities and then tried to do Holiday craft shows and my fulltime job. I’m burnt out. I have several posts in the queue I need to finish, and I will try to get them out eventually, but I’m just really tired right now.
So I am going to list what I can, but this is going to be a much shorter list this year and some things may already be sold out.
Amavel [Source]
Amavel 2024 Lucky Bag – ¥15,950
Amavel launched their lucky bags on December 5th, however it’s still in stock.
It’s a 6-piece set with a 50,000 yen value. The set contains a coat, dress, blouse, jumper skirt, cardigan, and original tights OR socks. Members also get a 3,000 yen coupon code they can use for a future purchase in the set.
Angelic Pretty [Source]
Angelic Pretty launched their Happy Packs on December 9th, and somehow I totally missed them?
Includes a total of 5 items: 2 original printed clothes + 3 accessories
Contains 3 items in total: 2 items of clothing including 1 original print + 1 item of accessory
Contains a total of 5 items: 1 set of products + 1 piece of clothing + 2 blouses or cut-and-sew items + 1 accessory
Dreamy Happy Pack – ¥27,500
Includes a total of 3 items: 2 clothes + 1 bag
Scheduled to arrive only at Nagoya store, Sendai store, Sannomiya store, and Kyoto store.
Atelier Pierrot
AtePie is running a Christmas gift fair this year which came up as a pop up when I visited their site. Get an original sachel with purchases over 33,000 yen! Valid until December 25th or when supply runs out
They also are selling a limited holiday gift set for 8,000 yen which contains the same bag, plus socks, wristcuffs and a choker. Available from November 18th to December 25th.
They don’t currently have any lucky packs posted.
Axes Femme [Source]
2024年 axes femme福袋 (2024 Axes Femme Lucky Bag) – ¥11,000
This is a 5 piece set of which contains 2 dresses, 1 cardigan, 1 top, and 1 skirt.
This is a lineup that will make your total coordination come true. It has great versatility, so you can enjoy a variety of outfits with just the items in the lucky bag.
This is sold out, it was release November 10th, and will be available to be picked up at new years. They may have more in stock in the actual stores in January, but again, this is a great example of what I mean when I say some brands have moved back to doing a black friday or singles day event.
Baby the Stars Shine Bright / Alice & The Pirates
2024 Special Happy Pack / 2024 BABY/PIRATES Special HAPPY PACK with original print clothes
- Price: 30,800 yen (incl. tax)
- Contents：3 or more items including BABY or PIRATES original print clothing items or small accessories.
- Multiple items will be shipped in BABY/PIRATES original non-woven fabric bag.
Commemorating the beginning of new year, we prepare the “2024 Special Happy Pack” . The reservation start at 12:00 on December 1st(Fri.) at BABY online store♪
◎Reservation period: 12:00 on December 1st(Fri.)～12:00 on December 4th(Mon.)
◎Delivery period: The beginning of 2024
BABY「シュガーブーケ柄」NEWデザインのジャンパースカート＆おリボンクリップのセット
To commemorate the start of a new year in 2024, a new BABY “sugar bouquet pattern” jumper skirt and ribbon clip set will be released ♡
◆ Mail order reservation period (first-come-first-served basis) ◆
December 8, 2023 (Friday) 12:00 to December 11, 2023 (Monday) 12:00
◆ Store reservation details (advance lottery system) ◆
1) Entry reception: 2023 From Friday, December 8, 2023, when each store opens to Wednesday, December 13,
2) Lottery results announcement: Friday, December 15, 2023 to Saturday, December 16, 2023 *The store will call you
3 ) Reservation procedure period: December 15, 2023 (Friday) to December 24, 2023 (Sunday) when each store is closed *A certain deposit will be required.
Sugar Bouquet – Eternal Maiden’s Longing – Patterned Jumper Skirt Ⅳ & Ribbon Clip Set
- Color: Off white/pink/strawberry mousse/antique blue/lavender
- Tax included price ¥37,180 (base price ¥33,800)
- Delivery date: Mid to late January 2024
Innocent World
I don’t think Innocent World has been doing lucky packs recently? They don’t seem to have much excess stock these days.
Favorite One [Source]
Favorite One has a million different sets they sell as lucky packs each year lately, I’m not listing them all, I’m not even going to post photos. When Lolita lucky packs were in really high demand, they tended to have a fair number of loliable ones that skewed a little classic/otome, however they mostly have character costume sets now.
Metamorphose
Oddly enough, I actually ended up getting last year’s sold out Band in the Forest set in wine at Tekko in person over this past summer, which I thought was kind of interesting. But here is the new set for 2024!
The release date is around noon on December 20th (JST) online.
The set comes in 4 colors: Bordeaux, Navy, Green and Sax.
– Bordeaux : bordeaux ribbon/ gold lace/ gold button
– Saxe Blue : saxe blue ribbon/ silver lace/ silver button
– Navy : navy ribbon/ silver lace/ silver button
– Green : green ribbon/ gold lace/ gold button
It’s a set of a JSK and a headdress. The JSK is lined with full back shirring, no zip. It has one detachable ribbon bow and detachable waist ties. There are two sizes:
dim light JSK and Headdress Set – ¥31,900
★Length: BC-approx.77cm(30.3in)*including frill/ BNP-approx.96cm(37.7in)*including frill
★Bust: approx.86cm(33.8in) ~ approx. max 119cm(46.8in)
★Waist: approx.70cm(27.5in) ~ approx. max 105cm(41.3in)
★Skirt Length: W-approx.60cm(23.6in)*including frill
[Plus Size] dim light JSK and Headdress Set – ¥34,100
★Length: BC-approx.82cm(32.2in)*including frill/ BNP-approx.103cm(40.5in)*including frill
★Bust: approx.99cm(38.9in) ~ approx. max 140cm(55.1in)
★Waist: approx.87cm(34.2in) ~ approx. max 125cm(49.2in)
★Skirt Length: W-approx.64cm(25.1in)*including frill
Miho Matsuda
TBA
Moi Meme Moitie
TBA, though they just posted they were down to one left of last year’s set in early November of this year so I’m not sure what their plans are.
Rose Marie Seoir [Source] [Source]
Happy Bag ♡ With Shoes Set – 24,000 yen
The annual HAPPY BAG This year, it will be worth 77,000 yen including tax, which is 11,000 yen more than last year. The price with tax 26,400 yen, which is cheaper than the price of one dress at retail cost.
They mention that they have very little clearance clothing stock this year so it may sell out fast, also that it might include item from their sister brand MYRTILLE. They say to reference the image for an idea of the type of items you might get. You can pick the shoe size (M size approx. 23.5cm or L size approximately 24.5cm), but the clothing will be whatever they give you.
Happy Bag ♡ Accessories Set – 5,000 yen
It contains about 16,500 yen (tax included) in retail value. (Socks and pouches may be included, but clothes, shoes, and bags are not included.). There are a few really interesting things hidden in the nodes like “The package may contain products purchased from overseas, sample products, etc.”, “There is a possibility that quality indication or brand name is not included.” and “Items from sister brand MYRTILLE may also be included.”. Which to me sounds like they have a lot of a couple actual things and then are padding these out with random stuff that isn’t original Rose Marie Seoir items. I personally wouldn’t order this one.
SAMPLE Happy Bag ♡ – 24,000 yen
This one uses the same graphic as the with shoes one, so make sure you picked the one you actually want. This is a sample sale pack. So they say that’s things like the pieces used by the models for the website photos. I would add that it may also be production samples, mannequin window samples, or items with slight imperfections like missing pieces. Anything like that usually is considered Sample/B-Grade by a Japanese brand and included in things like this.
This set includes 3 pieces of clothing, 1 bag, and 10 miscellaneous items such as accessories and pouches.
The clothes come in a 3-piece set, including two dresses and one top or bottom. If an outerwear such as a sukajan is included, one dress is counted as one outerwear. If shoes are included, miscellaneous goods will be changed to 7 items.
And that’s it so far, that’s what I was able to find. It’s a short list, and you will notice I don’t have any of the major brands listed other than Baby who’s items were announced only days before they dropped. AP doesn’t give much lead time at all on new releases these days either, I suspect to reduce scalping.