Street Fashion Emerges as a Major Trend
Trend-Savvy MZ Generation Shows Increased Brand Preference and Spending Power
Limited Edition T-Shirts Inspired by Lotte World Tower Unveiled
Lotte Department Store announced on the 23rd that it will open the first-ever complex store in Korea for the street brand "Carhartt WIP," which was reborn based on the American original workwear brand "Carhartt."
Carhartt WIP Lotte World Mall store, opening on the 24th on the 1st floor of Lotte World Mall in Jamsil, Songpa-gu, Seoul, will cover an area of 220㎡ (approximately 66 pyeong) and will consist of a clothing store selling seasonal apparel and accessories, along with a caf? where customers can enjoy coffee and light desserts.
The Carhartt WIP caf?, introduced for the first time in Korea, will feature specialty coffee, offering not only blended espresso menus but also single-origin drip coffee. The signature menu is the "Caf? Shakerato." The Caf? Shakerato is an iced menu made by shaking Ethiopian coffee and orange-blended syrup with ice in a cocktail shaker. The store’s architecture and design were handled by architect Andrea Caputo. Using rough-textured concrete and naturally colored wood together, the space creates a modern yet comfortable atmosphere.
Recently, street fashion has risen to prominence, gaining popularity among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) with increased purchasing power, which has also impacted Lotte Department Store’s sales. Last year, sales in the SPA and street fashion category, which includes street fashion brands, increased by about 30%. This generation tends to pursue brands that encompass not only fashion but also culture and lifestyle, including music, hip-hop, and art.
Carhartt WIP is a street-sense brand established in 1994. Since its founding, it has released collections every season. It operates its own skate team and music department, supports various artists, and publishes multiple publications. Since 2010, it has actively collaborated with renowned brands and underground resistance groups such as A.P.C., Converse, Fragment Design, Junya Watanabe, Nike, as well as famous music labels like Motown.
To commemorate the opening of this store, Carhartt WIP will release short-sleeve T-shirts available only at Lotte World Mall, and from the 24th to the 27th, customers who purchase Carhartt WIP products will receive a free Americano from the Carhartt WIP caf?.
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
