"Seoul's Innovation, Making It the Global Mecca of K-Fashion"

'2023 F/W Seoul Fashion Week Trade Show'
Interview with British Buyer Joel Adebayo
Participation of Over 130 Overseas Buyers from 23 Countries

"Seoul is truly an amazing place. It is a globally developed city, yet it always seeks innovation and desires further advancement. This image is exactly how Europe views K-Fashion."

Joel Adebayo, a British buyer met at the ‘2023 F/W Seoul Fashion Week Trade Show,’ described the charm of Seoul and K-Fashion this way. He explained that as Korean culture leads global trends, the national image has risen, and naturally, K-Fashion is gaining attention in Europe as well.

Korean Fashion Gains Spotlight After COVID-19... Customers Also Take Pride in 'Made in Korea'

Adebayo co-manages an online and offline select shop called ‘Not Just Another Store,’ established in London, UK, in 2017. His select shop was even chosen as one of the ‘50 Coolest Select Shops in the UK’ by The Guardian through K-Fashion.

He said that his first encounter with K-Fashion was by chance. He stated, "When we were established in 2017, Nordic fashion was popular in Europe. However, as a latecomer, we began exploring fashion from various countries to find a new niche." He added, "During this process, an employee who had been an English teacher in Korea and then joined our company as a marketing intern introduced us to ‘very outstanding K-Fashion.’ Since 2018, we have been steadily delivering Korean fashion to our customers."

After being introduced to Korean fashion by his employee, he immediately saw its potential. He emphasized, "Korean fashion has the contrasting charm of carrying on a heritage of traditional beauty while following the latest trends very well. Especially, Korean brands use high-quality fabrics produced in Korea, which raises the product quality, and customers take pride in wearing high-quality ‘Made in Korea’ products."

He said Korean fashion products began to stand out even more during the COVID-19 period. In fact, the ‘2023 F/W Seoul Fashion Week Trade Show,’ held on a proper scale for the first time since the easing of COVID-19, was attended by about 130 overseas fashion buyers from 23 countries worldwide. Whereas buyers from Asia, including Southeast Asia, used to dominate, this time buyers from Europe, the Americas, and the Middle East accounted for 50%. A Seoul Fashion Week official said, "There are buyers who purchase samples worth over 100 million won at once," adding, "You can feel the rising popularity of K-Fashion after COVID-19 firsthand."

Seoul Is Dynamic and Prepared Policy-wise... K-Fashion Will Continue for the Time Being

Adebayo said, "During the COVID-19 period, as online sales became active, major fashion brands adopted a strategy of selling directly to customers without going through select shops or retailers. As a result, select shops and retailers sought new suppliers, and in that process, products from Korea, whose national image had risen, naturally gained attention."

He continued, "Korean culture, which has gained attention during the COVID-19 period, has risen to a position leading innovation not only in art but also in everyday clothing and the fashion industry. I believe K-Fashion currently best matches the tastes of the general public and the Gen-Z generation (those in their teens and twenties) worldwide," he emphasized.

Is K-Fashion just a simple trend that will soon decline? Adebayo answered no. He said, "This is my second visit to Seoul Fashion Week, but personally, I have visited Seoul more than ten times to explore K-Fashion. Seoul is a dynamic city where new coffee shops and restaurants open every time I visit, and because it is prepared for policy support, I believe the spotlight on K-Fashion will continue for the time being."