Suede products dominate fall fashion market in Korea

The suede jacket from ‘ANEDIT’ (left) and the suede bag from ‘ELBATEGEV’. (W Concept)

Suede products are trending in South Korea this fall, with consumers going all in for the special type of leather made from the soft underside of animal skin.

According to the fashion industry on Sunday, suede products have soared to the top of sales and search rankings on various fashion platforms. Eager to get ahead of the season, fashion-forward consumers are snapping up trending items.

W Concept saw a dramatic surge in demand for suede items.

Sales of suede jackets and bags increased by 700 percent from September 1 to 18 from the same period last year.

The platform recorded a 488 percent rise in suede-related searches. Among the most popular items are suede jackets from brands like Unedit and le917 and suede bags by ELBATEGEV.

“Customers are seeking out unique colors, with shades like pink and brown gaining popularity,” said a W Concept official.

Kakao Style’s ZigZag platform also saw a massive increase in suede bag searches, with a staggering 1,496 percent jump in search volume and a 264 percent rise in sales compared to last year.

Suede jackets saw a similar trend, with searches up by 328 percent and sales increasing by 64 percent.

Meanwhile, on ABLY, another major fashion platform, suede bag searches and sales both skyrocketed by 600 percent between September 1 and 15.

The platform also noted a 30 percent rise in searches for boots, with sales spiking by 350 percent.

Suede jackets followed suit, seeing a 240 percent increase in search volume and an 80 percent rise in sales. The bestsellers on the platform included Slow and End’s Rento suede boots and Highclassic’s suede crop jackets paired with tennis skirts.

Musinsa, one of the largest online fashion retailers in the country, experienced a sharp rise in interest for suede products.

Searches for suede on Musinsa increased by 342 percent on-year during the same period, with suede bag searches alone rising by 456 percent.

A standout item is the overfit full-up suede single jacket, DOFFJASON.

On 29CM, Musinsa’s women’s fashion platform, the number of users searching for suede grew by 812 percent.

The growing popularity of suede this fall aligns with the rise of the “demure look,” a major trend for this year’s fall/winter season.

Characterized by understated, elegant designs with minimal embellishments, the demure look emphasizes the importance of luxurious materials like suede to make an outfit stand out.

Moreover, suede is also perfect for capturing the essence of other key fall trends, such as Bohemian and Western styles.

From sleek jackets to rugged boots, suede offers consumers a versatile option that can effortlessly transition between different fashion statements.

High-fashion brands and luxury labels have already embraced this trend, with many unveiling suede pieces in their fall/winter collections.

The current emphasis on material quality is driving both brands and consumers toward suede, insiders said.