[Global Hit Item] Bags Made from Sofa Fabric... Breaking the Mold of 'Daily Couture'

Lightweight and Elegant Bags
First Half Sales Soar to 4 Billion KRW
Full-Scale Entry into Japanese Market in Second Half

"When a new product is launched, it sells out within 3 minutes, showing how much it is loved by many customers. Sales in the first half of this year reached 4 billion KRW, double that of last year, and we expect total sales to reach 10 billion KRW by the end of the year."

Lee Huurim, CEO of Hujene, said this in an interview with Asia Economy on the 9th, adding, "Our main target is women in their 30s and 40s, and the domestic D2C (direct-to-consumer) shopping mall has about 40,000 members." CEO Lee, who studied in Japan, first gained recognition as a 'Makaju artist' who painted on bags during her study abroad. In 2021, when hand-painted bags with customer-desired phrases gained popularity, she decided to start her own business using her experience. Last year, she officially launched Hujene through the global e-commerce platform Cafe24.

Lee Hyurim, CEO of HuGene [Photo by Cafe24]

Hujene is a brand created by combining the Korean character 'Hyu' from the CEO’s name and the French word 'Jeune,' meaning 'young.' It was named with the hope that customers enjoy youth through stylish fashion. The concept is 'daily couture.' Like haute couture, the high-end French tailoring, it creates a luxurious atmosphere while designing products that are not burdensome for everyday use.

A particularly distinctive aspect is the materials used. Using tweed, mainly used for women's jackets, and upholstery fabrics for sofas, the bags are lightweight, durable, and elegant. CEO Lee said, "Using interior fabrics is an unconventional approach in the traditional bag industry, but breaking the mold and creating good products is what makes Hujene special," emphasizing, "We pursue differentiation that can create trends."

They are also focusing on social media strategies. During the product creation process, they communicate with customers through Instagram and other platforms to reflect demand. This strategy led to rapid growth, achieving monthly sales of 1 billion KRW within six months of establishing the corporation. Recently, they ranked first in the bag category at the Galleria Department Store gift shop, and at the Grand Hyatt Seoul, more than half of the products were sold out in the first week of display. Among the signature products, the Lapu bag gained great popularity among Japanese customers for its luxurious yet comfortable usability.

Going forward, Hujene plans to actively expand into overseas markets. In the second half of this year, they aim to open an offline pop-up store in Japan and enter major Japanese department stores. CEO Lee said, "Since March 2023, monthly overseas sales have grown up to twice as much," adding, "From the second half of the year, we will actively pursue business in Japan and listen carefully to the voices of domestic and international customers to reflect them in our designs and products."