K-fashion gains popularity among young Japanese

[Courtesy of Piece Peace Studio]

South Korean fashion is gaining popularity among young Japanese consumers, with brands like Matin Kim, Marithé + François Girbaud, and Mardi Mercredi taking the spotlight.

These three brands, beloved by Korean Millennials and Generation Z, have sparked a frenzy in Japan, with new releases consistently causing open-run events where eager shoppers race to get their hands on the latest items.

Hyundai Department Store said on Thursday that its K-content export platform, The Hyundai Global, operated in partnership with Japanese distributor Medicare Labs at the Shibuya Parco Department Store in Tokyo, has exceeded expectations.

The 660 square meter pop-up store showcases a new Korean fashion brand each week, attracting long lines and generating impressive sales each time a new brand is introduced.

Three Korean brands – NOICE, Marithé + François Girbaud, and Matin Kim – held pop-up stores at The Hyundai Global from May 10 to 30. In just 20 days, these brands achieved a combined sales total of about 1 billion yen ($6.45 million).

The primary customer base consists of women in their late teens to late twenties, many of whom demonstrate a strong loyalty by wearing the brands’ clothing when visiting the pop-up stores.

Notably, over 3,000 customers flocked to the Matin Kim pop-up store on its opening day, setting a record for the most visitors at a Korean fashion pop-up event in Japan.

“The May performance of The Hyundai Global surpassed our sales targets by more than 50 percent,” said a Hyundai Department Store official. “The store received over 1,000 visitors per day.”

Further cementing the craze for Korean fashion, the casual fashion brand Mardi Mercredi, operated by Piece Peace Studio, recently opened its first standalone store in Tokyo’s fashion district of Daikanyama, marking a significant milestone for Korean brands in Japan.

The surge in popularity of K-fashion among Japanese youth is largely attributed to the influence of K-pop stars.

Hanwoo Choi, CEO of MXN JAPAN, which assists Korean brands in entering the Japanese market, told Maeil Business Newspaper that “Japanese fashion magazines are filled with Korean idols. Popular K-pop girl groups like IVE and NewJeans are leading the fashion trends among Japanese women in their teens and twenties.”

Japanese influencers and fashionistas have begun emulating K-pop stars’ fashion, showcasing the brands they wear on YouTube and social media. This trend has extended K-fashion’s reach to Japanese youth who were not previously interested in K-pop.

Moreover, the affordability of K-fashion brands, many of which grew online, appeals to Japanese youth. The relatively high prices of Japanese brands, which traditionally rely on department stores, make Korean brands an attractive alternative.

For example, a logo T-shirt from the popular Japanese brand COMME des GARCONS costs around 7,000 yen, while a similar T-shirt from Mardi Mercredi is priced at 45,000 won ($35).