Korean Fashion Group Hyungji to open Castelbajac flagship store in LA

K-Fashion Global Town site, 7673 Melrose Avenue, Los Angeles, California, U.S. [Photo provided by Lahmon Architects]

Fashion Group Hyungji Co., a South Korean operator of fashion brands, will open K-Fashion Global Town, the flagship store of fashion label Castelbajac, in Los Angeles, U.S., in June, as it strives to expand its presence in the global scene.

According to multiple sources from the fashion industry on Sunday, Fashion Group Hyungji Chairman Choi Byoung-oh and Castelbajac Co. Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Choi Jun-ho will accompany Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on his state visit to the U.S. as part of a business delegation. During the visit, they plan to realize plans for global entry.

Castelbajac is a global golf wear brand owned by the parent Fashion Group Hyungji. The company spun off from the group and was listed on the secondary Kosdaq market in 2019.

Under the leadership of Choi in 2021, Castelbajac has been carrying out efforts to advance into the U.S. market. It picked Los Angeles as the global base and confirmed the opening of K-Fashion Global Town in West Hollywood, a trendy area known for leading fashion trends in the world.

Starting with Los Angeles, Castelbajac plans to open flagship stores across the U.S. and enter into the pro-shop market of U.S. golf clubs. Securing a retail channel will allow the company to become a leading golf wear brand representing Korea.

The company also plans to enter into emerging markets such as China and Southeast Asia based on the increased brand recognition in the U.S.

“I plan to participate in the “Inside Safe” program, a slum prevention plan promoted by Los Angeles,” said Chairman Choi. “I will also have detailed discussions to open K-Fashion Global Town in the city.”

Castelbajac, in the meantime, also has plans to enter the U.S. military apparel market worth 10 trillion won ($7.5 billion) annually. The company judges that it is qualified to supply military uniforms and boots to the U.S. and United Nations militaries as the parent company owns a shoe label, Esquire. In 2021, Castelbajac established Castelbajac USA Inc. to promote its entry into the U.S. business.

Castelbajac USA recently received a SAM number and DUNS number from the U.S. General Services Administration, which means that the company has qualified as a supplier to U.S. federal agencies. Castelbajac USA plans to take over a military supply factory near Los Angeles by the end of this year for the highly-potential business.

Castelbajac USA is likely to engage deeply in the market as Chinese labels have been increasingly excluded from the local procurement market.