French golfwear brands launched in Korea boast strong sales

A.P.C. Golf, co-produced by Korean company I.D. Look Co. with French brand A.P.C. Inc. [Photo provided by Shinseage Department Store]

Foreign golfwear brands created at the proposal of South Korean importers are performing well in the Korean market despite the economic downturn.

Since their debut in Korea, the golfwear lines of French fashion brands A.P.C. Inc., Lanvin Inc. and Maison Kitsuné are seeing an upward trend in sales on the back of strong response from brand loyalists amid the struggling golfwear industry. A.P.C. Golf has even managed to export its products overseas.

According to the fashion industry on Thursday, A.P.C. Golf, which opened its first global store in February last year at Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam, saw its sales double in the first half of this year from a year ago. The success came as it gained traction among Generation MZ golfers who like the modern and chic style of the brand.

After opening four stores in the country’s major department stores last year, A.P.C. Golf added four more stores in the first half of this year. The company plans to open five more in the second half of the year. Sales of stores at the main and Jamsil branch of the Lotte Department Store, which opened in March, are exceeding the target by 50 percent, and the brand‘s annual sales are expected to surpass 10 billion won ($7.83 million) this year. It is a remarkable achievement given the golfwear market slump and fewer population of golfers in their 20s-30s.

Interestingly, A.P.C. Golf was created upon the proposal of the Korean importer to the headquarters overseas. In 2021, I.D. Look Co., the exclusive importer of A.P.C. in Korea, suggested A.P.C. headquarters to create a golfwear brand. It can be considered a Korean-made brand in that I.D. Look oversaw all the processes from launch to planning, design, production, and distribution. “We convinced the French headquarters for a year,” said an official from I.D. Look. “We emphasized that it has high growth potential as the Korean golfwear market is the largest in the world and that young Korean golfers see golfwear as a way of expressing themselves.” The South Korean golfwear market is the largest in the world, valued at approximately 6.3 trillion won last year.

After seeing a growth in sales of A.P.C. Golf in Korea, A.P.C. wanted to launch the brand to other markets as well. A.P.C. Golf entered Japan last year with its first store at Takashimaya Department Store in Shinjuku, Tokyo, and opened another at Hankyu Department Store in Osaka this year. It plans to open two more stores in Tokyo and Kyoto in the second half of the year. The company is also considering launching the brand in the U.S. and Europe next year. All of the products sold are planned, designed, and produced by I.D. Look, which is practically a reverse export.

Lanvin Blanc is also a golfwear brand that Korean importer Handsome Corp. first proposed to the headquarters of French luxury women’s fashion brand Lanvin. The brand opened its first store globally at the main branch of Hyundai Department Store in August last year and seven more in Korea last year alone. It added three more stores in the first half of this year and plans to open at least four more in the second half. Like A.P.C. Golf, Handsome plans, designs, and produces all products. “It’s golfwear with a touch of Lanvin,” said an official from Handsome. “It’s well received by customers who prefer Lanvin‘s elegant and sophisticated silhouettes.”

Samsung C&T Corp.’s fashion division also approached Maison Kitsuné to propose the launch of golfwear and unveiled Maison Kitsuné Golf collections exclusively in Korea in April this year. As of July, the brand has opened three stores, including those at the main branch of Lotte Department Store. Although it is still in the early stages, the brand is capturing the minds of young golfers with a variety of items that utilize the brand’s fox logo. “The market is being reshaped by premium brands amid an overall slowdown in golfwear growth,” said a department store official. “A.P.C., Lanvin, and Maison Kitsuné are doing well based on strong fandom in difficult times.”