Korean fashion industry reaches international market

Products in the On Running x Post Archive Faction (PAF) Collection.

In March 2025, Seoul Fashion Week recorded a record number of orders: the total value of orders reached 6.7 million USD. This is a positive signal for Korean fashion brands, as they increasingly attract international consumers.

Many local brands have also started collaborating with global brands. Specifically, the Pitti Uomo Fashion Show in Milan invited the Korean menswear brand Post Archive Faction (PAF) as its guest of honor. Google announced that the Korean luxury eyewear brand Gentle Monster will be its partner in its new line of smart glasses. Meanwhile, Nike’s Ava Rover has chosen to partner with Hyein Seo, marking the first time Nike has collaborated with a Korean brand.

It can be seen that Korean fashion is receiving attention from both customers and international brands. This change comes not only from the Korean cultural wave spread by Korean artists, but also thanks to the development of the fashion industry in this country. Many local designers and fashion brands have approached and found a place in the global market.

Specifically, PAF was shortlisted for the LVMH Prize in 2021. In 2024, PAF collaborated with sports brand On to launch the On Running x Post Archive Faction (PAF) collection, which sold out after only 1 day of launch. PAF is currently investing heavily in design, focusing on expanding its futuristic design, which is popular with many people. Dongjoon Lim, founder of PAF, estimates that the futuristic product line could bring in $5-6 million in revenue this year.

PAF’s success is not only due to the influence of the Korean cultural wave but also due to its ability to connect with the younger generation of consumers. Young consumers today tend to seek out styles that reflect their individuality rather than products that are bound by traditional stereotypes.

Jino Lee, co-founder of Hyein Seo, said that brands like Hyein Seo, PAF and JiyongKim all appeal to young people with their free-spirited, modern styles, which are also in line with global youth market trends. Federico Barassi, vice president of buying at Ssense, said that Korean fashion brands are well received by customers because they are fresh, inspiring and affordable.

Although Korean fashion is innovative and has attracted attention for its dynamism and approach to young people, there are still many things to consider in order to gain a firm foothold in the world fashion industry. Korean fashion still has a long way to go if it wants to become a global phenomenon like Kpop because it is still in its infancy, even in the Asia- Pacific region, the Korean fashion industry has faced many challenges compared to Japan and China. The big challenge for Korean fashion brands is to build a global customer base beyond Asia.

BAO LAM (Synthesized from Businessoffashion, Streetwear Complex)

Source: https://baocantho.com.vn/cong-nghiep-thoi-trang-han-quoc-tiep-can-thi-truong-quoc-te-a188274.html