Korean fast fashion brands boost character collabs to counter Chinese rivals

[Courtesy of Eland]

South Korean fast fashion (SPA) brands are increasingly turning to collaborations with popular characters and intellectual properties (IP) to enhance their unique product offerings, while countering the rapid rise of Chinese fashion platforms

Industry sources reported on Sunday that Eland’s SPAO brand has seen immense success with its recent collaboration products. These include items featuring characters from the webtoon “Maru is a Puppy,” the Japanese anime “Jujutsu Kaisen,” and “Haikyu!!,” which have garnered significant popularity among teenagers and young adults, resulting in sold-out inventories.

Last month, the launch of collaboration products with the bear character “Damgom” saw lines stretching outside the stores. During the launch week at SPAO’s AK Hongdae branch, the number of visitors doubled compared to the previous week.

SPAO’s collaboration products have shown impressive sales figures, contributing about 50 billion won ($36 million) last year, with an annual growth rate of 25 percent. These collaborative items now account for over 10 percent of SPAO’s total sales. Currently, SPAO is working with over 20 IP partners from global and K-content categories. ELand said that 80 percent of the customers who purchased these collaboration products were in their teens and 20s.

Similarly, 8SECONDS under Samsung C&T’s fashion division launched products featuring characters from the Everland panda family, including Fubao, at the end of last year. The collection attracted a significant number of Fubao fans, leading to early sell-outs of certain clothing and accessories.

Beyond character collaborations, 8SECONDS is tapping into the trending “gorpcore” look, which appeals to the younger generation. The brand has also enlisted musician CODE KUNST as a model to attract consumers in their 20s and 30s. Recently, Samsung C&T held a “Super Sale” event with discounts up to 50 percent, drawing over 500,000 customers in just five days.

Meanwhile, Shinsung Tongsang’s fast fashion brand TOPTEN10 aims to achieve 1 trillion won in sales this year. The brand is expanding its urban and specialty store footprint nationwide, focusing on premium materials like Cool Air and Merino wool to differentiate itself from competitors. TOPTEN10 is also investing heavily in its activewear line, “TOPTEN Balance,” which saw a 20 percent year-on-year sales increase, reaching 36 billion won in the first five months of this year.