G/FORE Opens Stores in Japan and China... "Aiming to Become the Number One Luxury Golf Icon"

Entry into Japan's Largest Luxury Mall, Ginza Six
Focusing on Premium Consumers...Aiming to Become a "Luxury Brand"

Kolon Industries FnC Division announced on April 28 that its global luxury golfwear brand G/FORE has opened stores in Japan and China.

Exterior view of the 3.1 Phillip Lim store at Ginza Six in Japan, operated by Kolon FnC. Provided by Kolon FnC.

Kolon FnC signed an exclusive master license agreement with G/FORE's U.S. headquarters for China and Japan in November last year. This achievement is the result of building G/FORE into a successful luxury golf brand business model in Korea over the past four years. The company aims to brand G/FORE as the 'number one luxury golf icon' and to implement a One Asia strategy that integrates commercial design and distribution capabilities, with the ambition of driving paradigm shifts in both China and Japan.

On April 25, G/FORE officially opened a store at Ginza Six, a leading luxury shopping mall in Tokyo. Ginza Six is the largest luxury complex shopping mall in Japan and a symbolic space for luxury in Tokyo, housing global high-end brands such as Louis Vuitton and Celine. The G/FORE store is located within the luxury fashion section, rather than the golf zone, to specifically target Japanese customers with strong purchasing power for premium brands.

Situated in the luxury fashion section, the store's interior is designed to offer customers a high-end shopping experience, blending sophistication with a modern sensibility. The luxurious interior concept previously showcased in Korea has been applied to the Japanese store as well. The overall black tone, accented with royal blue, visually expresses the brand's DNA of 'disruptive luxury.' Targeting premium customers in China and Japan?who have a heightened appreciation for K-fashion and a high proportion of male golfers?G/FORE has placed a focus on golf accessories. The brand also plans to expand its apparel offerings by proposing full looks.

G/FORE has also opened a store in China. On April 15, it launched its first store at MIXC, a premium shopping mall in Shenzhen, and plans to open a new store at Plaza 66, a landmark in Shanghai, within the first half of the year. Both locations are representative high-end distribution channels where global luxury brands are present. G/FORE intends to use these as strategic bases to actively target the premium consumer segment in China's first-tier cities. Through this, the brand aims to effectively establish its identity as a luxury sports lifestyle brand rooted in golf within the Chinese market.

Yoo Sukjin, CEO of Kolon FnC, stated, "Just as G/FORE successfully established a retail environment in Korea based on an exceptional understanding of the market and consumers, we will leverage our accumulated know-how and capabilities to ensure a stable establishment in Japan and China as well. Starting with G/FORE, Kolon FnC will create a new growth model for the Asian fashion market by building integrated partnerships that organically connect brands, markets, and customers."