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Why do Korean celebrities have such great taste in clothes? While Kpop and Korean skincare has taken the world by storm, Korean Fashion is not far behind. Korean fashion brands can now be found all around the world. The major reason for this is the rise of Kpop and Kdramas not just in Korea but internationally as well. Kpop and Kdramas were able to show the eclectic style of Korean fashion through Korean idols and celebrities. This really helped Korean fashion trends go global.
Now Seoul is home to Seoul Fashion Week which is gaining a lot of attention not only in Asia but around the world. There you will find the latest edgy yet affordable Korean street style Fashion. Along with high-end Korean luxury brands. The Korean government has been aggressive in searching for new designers to promote Korean fashion. To prepare you for the 2021 season we have selected some of the top Korean fashion brands you should know.
STYLENANDA
STYLENANDA is the top Korean fashion brand for 2021. It was founded by 34-year-old Kim So Hee back in 2004. 15 years later it was acquired by L’Oreal as they saw STYLENANDA’s influence among the younger generation in Asia who are constantly on the lookout for new types of fashion and beauty. Most of their consumers are Millennials. The brand does over $160 million in yearly sales thanks to their beauty brand 3CE. They are not only a beauty brand but also a beauty brand. It is estimated that L’Oreal paid close to $375 million for acquiring STYLENANDA.
Instagram Followers: 1.5 million
GENTLE MONSTER
Korean eyewear brand GENTLE MONSTER focuses on trendy sunglasses and optical glasses. They are known for their artistic styles and have gone outside of Korea and into markets in China and Europe. GENTLE MONSTER was able to collaborate with Huawei by integrating cutting-edge technology and high-end fashion to create one of the best smart eyewear around.
The fashion eyewear brand (founded in 2011) became a hit on social media for its futuristic looks that combined both elegance and fun. They have a wide range of selections from minimal styles to eye-catching styles. In addition, they have been setting up museum-like brick-and-mortar spaces where consumers can shop via their multi-sensory experiences.
Instagram followers: 705,800
MINJUKIM
MINJUKIM was the winner of Netflix’s Next in Fashion series. Therefore she received $250,000 for winning the series and got to release her brand on the high fashion online mall NET-A-PORTER. She has already established herself as one of the top Korean fashion stars in the business. Moreover, her fashion brand is own for its imaginative collections that combine bold silhouettes with joyfulness. Before joining Next in Fashion, Minju Kim was previously the winner of the 2013 H&M Design Award and was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize for Young Fashion Designers in 2014.
Instagram Followers: 585,300
8 Seconds
The fashion division of Samsung C&T launched 8 Seconds back in 2012. Therefore, you can find over 30 stores all across South Korea. They have already expanded into China back in 2017 by collaborating with Kpop Superstar G-Dragon from Big Bang for the GD Collection.
Instagram Followers: 137,700
Andersson Bell
Andersson Bell is a Korean fashion brand known for crossing both fashion and street aesthetics. They were able to turn their street fashion brand into a luxury brand. The brand was founded in 2014 and is very popular among the young crowd in Asia. They offer products for both men and women and have gained a lot of traction in the west. Furthermore, they were able to enter NET-A-PORTER back in 2018. In addition, in 2019, Jungkook from BTS wore Andersson Bell sneakers for the 2019 Billboard Music Awards. To date, the Korean fashion brand has entered over 50 retailers in over 15 countries.
Instagram Followers: 143,800
Hyein Seo
Korean fashion brand Hyein Seo has been worn by some of the top international music stars such as Rihanna and G-Dragon. Therefore, the brand has a streetwear edge thanks to these musical stars. The brand focuses a lot on texts and slogans that draw on counterculture. In addition, it is one of the more popular Korean fashion brands that are gaining a lot of traction in the states.
Instagram Followers: 138,400
YUUL YIE
Korean fashion shoe brand YUUL YIE focuses on hand-made heels. The brand offers sculptural heels and intricate details. Therefore, it has many unorthodox designs that are being worn by some of the top fashion influencers. These designs include heels inspired by stones on streets, cubes, coral reefs, and ocean waves. YUUL YIE is sold in select trendy shops around the world.
Instagram Followers: 106,800
SJYP
SJYP is a Korean streetwear fashion brand that was founded in 2013. The brand is known for it’s 90’s style of denim interpretations. Many of their consumers are loyal Kpop fans. The reason for this is because many Kpop idols wear SJYP because it gives off a strong style statement on stage. For example, Girls Generation’s Tiffany and Yuna, 4Minutes Hyuna, and Lee Hyori are some Kpop stars that have worn SJYP. Their collection offers some of the latest trends in women’s streetwear. However, they also sell for men, so don’t think it is solely a brand for females. It is just that close to 80% of their customers are women.
Instagram Followers: 103,000
IMVELY
IMVELY was launched in 2005 and is now one of the top Korean fashion brands for young women in South Korea. It has been around for over 15 years and has really started to take off in 2020 with the younger generation. However, the brand is seen as one of the most successful first-generation online fashion shopping malls in Korea. Furthermore, they have been able to set up over 20 offline branches across Seoul.
Instagram Followers: 100,300
CRES. E DIM.
Korean Fashion Brand CRES. E. DIM. was launch in 2009. The name comes from the musical term “Crescendo e diminuendo” which means slowly getting louder and softer. Therefore, the brand aims to create directional silhouettes by experimenting with different overlaps of fabrics, shapes cut into fragments, and nuanced colors.
Instagram Followers: 84,200
