South Korea is quickly becoming one of the world’s major fashion hotspots with an ever-increasing amount of impressive Korean brands pushing the enevelop of what fashion can be, and look like.
Its capital city, Seoul, acts as the beating heart of its fashion scene, with Seoul Fashion Week becoming increasingly popular. Plus, the Frieze art fair’s recent move to Seoul has drawn big names in fashion, such as Bottega Veneta and Chanel, to the city.
The current numbers don’t lie, either. South Koreans were named the world’s biggest spenders on luxury goods in 2022 and its fashion market is predicted to continue growing in revenue to reach a market volume of $22.92bn by 2028.
To help you better understand the lay of the land, we have outlined our favorite Korean brands to take note of in 2024. From masters of technical fashion to grungy streetwear labels, check out all 29 brands down below.
Shop the best Korean brands of 2024 below.
KUSIKOHC
For KUSIKOHC’s founder Gi-seok Cho, fashion is just one creative vice. Along with being the figure behind one of South Korea’s most exciting labels, Cho is an established photographer whose surrealist portraits have put him in high demand.
His brand, which launched its first full seasonal collection in 2022, operates with the slogan “right to fail,” however, it has proven to be a raving success. Not only was KUSIKOHC a finalist for the 2023 LVMH Prize but it’s also picked up some very high-profile fans: A$AP Rocky wore the brand for his RIOT (Rowdy Pipe’n) music video, South Korean superstar Park Chanyeol took to the stage wearing the brand, and James Harden’s first tunnel ‘fit of the new year featured a KUSIKOHC two-piece.
Post Archive Faction
The increased popularity of outdoor clothing brands in fashion circles is something we have kept a keen eye on over the past few years. Post Archive Faction (PAF) has managed to appease our new-found lust for uber-functional wares with abstract shapes, experimental techniques, and an eye for subtle details.
It’s these qualities that put it in the running for the 2021 LVMH prize and have created a huge buzz around its designs — especially the puffer jackets.
Shop Post Archive FactionUNAFFECTED
“Greater simplicity but with some fun,” is the motto by which Seoul-based label UNAFFECTED designs all of its collections. And everything that it creates, from techy outerwear to fuzzy knitwear, adheres to that motto: presenting a balance of minimalism with a fun twist.
Along with its seasonal collections that elevate the every day through inventive details, the brand has also built a reputation for its collaborations. Its partnership with ASICS has produced some excellent utilitarian footwear while its co-branded G-SHOCK watch was similarly futuristic looking.
FFFPOSTALSERVICE
FFFPOSTALSERVICE’s range of technical outdoor clothing wouldn’t look out of place in a sci-fi movie, and that’s no coincidence. The Seoul-based brand describes itself as: “A never-ending sci-fi motion picture.”
In the brand’s range of futuristic designs, you can find jackets with integrated face masks, pants that can be adjusted to fit three different ways through an innovative zip system, and countless pockets and darts designed with utility in mind. In the booming technical fashion scene, FFFPOSTALSERVICE is one of the most experimental names around.
THUG CLUB
One of Korea’s focal streetwear labels, THUG CLUB has exploded in popularity recently, warranting the brand a spot on our list of 2023’s best indie brands.
Delivering collections that provide a blend of grunge, surrealism, and playful experimentation, the brand has developed a distinct look that’s caught the eye of high-profile customers like A$AP Rocky, SZA, and Playboi Carti. Most recently, it has been expanding its collaborative output which resulted in a collection with FILA that sold out instantly and featured a pair of frankly absurd boots made to look like the inverted feet of a monster.
Juntae Kim
Juntae Kim first debuted in 2022, making it one of the newest brands on this list. However, the designer has heaps of experience to lean on, having earned BA in Womenswear at Gyeongsam University in Seoul before moving to London and completing a BA and an MA course at London College of Fashion and Central Saint Martins respectively.
The LVMH Prize-nominated designer studied both menswear and womenswear in his extensive time at university which shows itself in the brand’s fluid collections. According to its website, the brand’s philosophy is: “Unravelling binary constructions: true beauty is not about constraining the body, but loosening it.”
thisisneverthat
Founded by three friends, Jongkyu Choi, Nadan Cho, and Inwook Park, back in 2010, thisisneverthat can be considered something of an OG in the streetwear space. Before the scene blew up and the majority of luxury brands started to take an interest in what skateboard brands were doing, thisisneverthat was producing graphic-heavy collections of a similar ilk to those it releases today.
Along with its seasonal collections and effortlessly cool campaigns (which are all produced in-house) what has made thisisneverthat a cult favorite is its footwear collaborations — and more specifically, its ongoing relationship with New Balance. The brand has released excellent takes of NB’s most popular models, with recent highlights including washed-out 550s and silver-hued 1906s.
WOOYOUNGMI
Before we start waxing lyrical about WOOYOUNGMI, a bit of explaining is needed; as anyone who has shopped for WOOYOUNGMI in the past will have noted that the label on the inside of the garment says “WOOYOUNGMI Paris”. The reason for this is that the brand was founded in Paris by Korean designer Woo Youngmi but is now based in Seoul — got it?
Woo Youngmi — or Madame Youngmi as she’s often known — is a legend in South Korea and a trailblazer who led the way for many Korean designers after her. The designer founded the cult-favorite brand Solid Homme in 1998 (there’ll be more on that later) and has been presenting in Paris since 2003. Her menswear designs deliver luxurious fabrics, sharp tailoring, and architectural shapes that are favored by celebrities in Korea and beyond.
OJOS
“We are a group that creates a different present with inspiration found in faded things,” reads part of a statement that flashes across the screen at the top of OJOS’ website. The womenswear label incorporates utilitarian details taken from technical fashion with its avant-garde lens to produce clothing that “creates a different present,” — to quote the brand’s previously-mentioned motto.
Designed to be comfortable, durable, and experimental in equal measure, OJOS’ collections offer left-field utilitarian wear which is a niche that’s often left unfilled in womenswear.
Andersson Bell
Anderson Bell offers wearers that beloved Scandinavian aesthetic from a Korean perspective. The designer’s philosophy produces clothing that is minimalistic in nature, accessible to all style types, but with hints of Korea’s eclectic and vibrant fashion culture. The fashion brand is filled to the brim with clothing that is utilitarian, colorful, contemporary, and sometimes even technical.
Beyond the mainline clothing, you’re likely familiar with the brand thanks to its popular ASICS collaboration with hiking-inspired laces.
EGNARTS
Workwear has long transcended its original purpose of equipping blue-collar workers and has since become a fashion staple. Many brands offer workwear in various forms and EGNARTS is creating some of the most experimental, fashion-forward around.
Its collections include workwear staples such as chore coats, double-knee pants, and dungarees all reinterpreted and upgraded through hidden pockets or hand-painted patterns.
ADER error
A super creative group, complete with talents from various disciplines, including design, art, graphic design, and architecture, ADER error is one of the most exciting brands to come out of South Korea.
Founded in 2014, the fashion studio’s core tenet centers around reimagining, often passed over, and everyday garments in exciting and “rotation-friendly” ways. From oversized, reversible knitwear to varsity jackets repurposed as coats, clothing is experimentally tailored, turning staples into statement pieces. ADER error takes pride in its ability to take the things we missed in the everyday and edit them in a culturally suggestive way.
AMOMENTO
Along with being a must-visit best multi-brand retailer in Seoul (it has three outposts in the Korean capital), AMOMENTO is one of the most exciting brands coming from the city.
The label got its start in 2016 and was quickly praised for its structural silhouettes, clean lines, and overall timeless aesthetic, complete with beautifully made fabrics sourced from across Eastern Asia. Furthermore, each piece found at AMOMENTO is made localy in Seoul. As a result, the Korean brand is one of those labels in which finding the perfect pair of trousers, a beautifully cut coat, or a luxuriously comfortable sweater is easy while thumbing through AMOMENTO’s offerings.
CAYL
Standing for “Climb As You Love,” CAYL creates highly engineered climbing essentials that look fantastic both on the hiking trail and beyond.
Established by Euijae Lee in 2011, the clothing label creates a mixture of activewear and techwear capable of handling demanding situations throughout the four seasons. Lightweight, weatherproof jackets? Check. Future-proof technical pants? Easy. Element-ready hiking backpack? No problem. Gorpcore enthusiasts, we’ve got the brand for you.
SYSTEM
Carefully toeing the line between minimalism and maximalism, SYSTEM’s designs feel familiar but come with details that go way beyond the everyday. The brand, which was founded in 1990, has become an authority in Korean fashion thanks to its craftsmanship, contemporary tailoring, and androgynous approach to fashion.
Solid Homme
Remember above when we mentioned that Woo Youngmi has another brand that she founded before WOOYOUNGMI? Well, this is it.
Founded in 1988, Solid Homme is truly a pioneer in Korean fashion and one of the first brands from the country to crossover and have international appeal. Today, it continues to create clothing with the same philosophy of offering contemporary, expertly-made menswear.
Recto
Perfectly refined clothing is the name of the game for Korean designer Ji Yeon Jung and her brand Recto. Exploring androgynous design, the label offers expert tailoring and premium casual staples.
Tailored shirts, wool bombers jackets, wide-leg trousers, relaxed denim, ribbed knit cardigans, a healthy mix of leather goods, loungewear, and seasonal boots keep fans of the brand returning for more.
Numbering
Led by Noori Kim, Korean label Numbering focuses its efforts on accessories with jewelry being its specialty.
All of its jewelry is handmade and includes a unique numbered engraving, a motif from which the brand takes its name. The label’s vast selection ranges from crystal-covered statement jewelry to the more minimal everyday pieces, all created with a refined eye that has brought Numbering its reputation and led to it being stocked by reputable retailers from around the world such as END. and SSENSE.
Frizmworks
Looking to archival workwear and military styles, Frizmworks finds its inspiration in utility and imbues it with modern sensibilities through exaggerated proportions. It’s a tried-and-tested formula that many labels have put their spin on over the past few decades and we can’t get enough.
99%IS
Seoul-based designer Bajowoo first launched 99%IS in 2012 while studying Japan, debuting at Tokyo Fashion Week the following year. Regularly hitting headlines for its grungey line of streetwear, the brand is worn by the likes of Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber, and G-Dragon both on stage and off.
Alongside the long list of A-list celebrities that have worn 99%IS, the brand has also managed to pull big-name brands for collaborations. Previously, the brand has worked with the likes of COMME des GARÇONS, adidas Originals, and Mackintosh.
Hyein Seo
Hyein Seo founded her eponymous label after graduating from the prestigious Antwerp Royal Academy, an institution that has created some of the greatest fashion designers ever.
Since launching in 2014, it has made quite a splash. Pretty early on it started showing collections in New York and London which led to her getting recognition from the likes of Rihanna, Kendrick Lamar, and Aleali May. Since then, it has only gone from strength to strength with its blend of utilitarian design, handmade craft elements, and tasteful distressing.
Gentle Monster
In the highly competitive eyewear scene, Gentle Monster has emerged as one of the most exciting names. Gentle Monster has built a fanbase based on sleek designs, cinematic marketing, and outstanding materials like fine metal alloys and luxurious acetate.
Beyond its eyewear designs, Gentle Monster owns some of the coolest brand-owned retail spaces. Like stepping into Ridley Scott’s film, the stores include huge installations that draw directly from science fiction. Gentle Monster is making buying glasses cool again.
Beslow
Beslow is firstly a multi-brand shop before it is a private label. Just as its name implies, it places value in comfort and ease of wear, urging consumers to slow down and enjoy the garments — and life, in general.
The secret behind all of its highly wearable collections is the premium fabrics and craft-based techniques that it uses.
Document
Founder Jongsoo Lee was inspired by French philosopher Gilles Deleuze’s concept of “repetition and difference,” applying that to each of his clothing collections. Intentionally limiting the color palette and materials, Lee only changes subtle details between each garment in his collection to create a brand with an unchanging story and identity.
Eastlogue
Taking from vintage and military garments, particularly reminiscent of 1930s America, Eastlogue is a reminder that substantially high-quality clothing is what underlines every great brand. No wonder the likes of Gentlemonster, Gentry, and Oi Polloi love the brand.
Plus, adding another big name to its long list of collaborators, it recently launched an excellent collection with one of America’s original preppy labels: Brooks Brothers.
Heritagefloss
“The best floss makes the best fabric and the best fabric makes the best garment,” is one of the mottos for Heritage Floss, a brand inspired by old sportswear.
Starting out from cotton garments, the brand has expanded to offer padded outerwear and accessories that altogether create casual looks reminiscent of the ’90s. HF also almost exclusively dresses one of the most popular indie bands in South Korea, Hyukoh, and is largely responsible for the country’s current street trends.
IISE Seoul
Serbian poet Dejan Stojanovic popularized the phrase, “the farther away, the closer the home becomes.” That’s almost certainly what happened to IISE co-founders Terrence and Kevin Kim, two second-generation Korean-American brothers who were so mesmerized by their cultural roots that they decided to create a brand inspired by them.
IISE takes design cues from ancient Korean architecture and traditional garb, interpreted through monochrome collections filled with utilitarian designs.
MSCHF
Not to be confused with the American art collective of the same name, MSCHF has been operating out of Korea since 2010. The brand’s clothing is varied, bringing together a blend of Y2K nostalgia, workwear staples, and function-focused design into collections that hit the current zeitgeist.
Friends and co-founders Jiyoon Jung and Jieun Seo also perfectly embody the brand, rightly considered as two of the coolest members of Korea’s underground fashion scene.
Vivastudio
Through its re-interpreting of all-American themes, such as rock’n’roll and basketball, Vivastudio has built an aesthetic that plays on our natural thirst for nostalgia.
Browsing through the latest arrivals on the brand’s website brings up a wide range of familiar styles that have been produced by the brand, such as classic biker jackets, tailored outerwear, and retro-leaning, music-themed hoodies.
To find out more about our favorite brands from around the globe, check out our rundowns of the best fashion in Germany, Denmark, Canada, Sweden, Japan, and France.
