Colorful fabrics, vibrant prints and pieces with a Western influence are what makes Korean clothing brands and the local fashion a popular choice all around.
K-pop (Korean Pop) is a Korean musical genre that is a mélange of multiple music styles (rock, hip-hop, electronic, R&B) and is characterized by colorful clothing, a lot of accessories and elaborate choreography. This has a heavy influence on youth fashion and the creation of new trends.
Today, Seoul is one of the biggest fashion hubs of the world, along with other Asian cities such as Tokyo, Singapore, Shanghai, and Taiwan. As the consumer here is young, clothing items include more of denims, tops, pants, skirts, hoodies and jackets, that appeal to the youth.
Here are a few reasons why Korean fashion is so popular and what Korean clothing brands are currently offering customers.
Perfectly suitable environment for upcoming brands
Korea is the hot bed of the fashion industry currently, owing to the large number of upcoming designers and fashion houses that are establishing themselves. The infrastructure required to sustain a large textile industry – factories, fabric mills, a large customer base, good business practices, celebrity culture, education and training opportunities, are all available in Korea.
Economic objective
Fashion and art have been highlighted by the Korean government as the next ‘soft power’ which are to be exported along with K-pop and K-dramas. Hence, all the necessary facilities and economic help can be provided to Korean clothing brands, new designers and retail outlets.
Adaptability and wearable fashion
Korean fashion is influenced by big brands and runway styles but the best feature of Korean fashion is that it is adapted to suit the streets. Designers utilize fabrics and trends seen on the runway in casual clothing and partywear that the youth can easily buy and wear regularly.
Influence of K-pop and K-dramas
Korean designing is smart and creates fashion that appeals to the masses. K-pop albums and artists have created quite a stir across the globe, not just for their music but for their outfits and accessories as well. The clothing is stylish, colorful and suited to everybody’s tastes.
They even connect with the older generation by going back to their roots and including a newer version of traditional clothing in their videos. What K-pop artists wear, almost always becomes a trend and trickles down through retail stores into the wardrobe of young men and women in Korea.
K-dramas are another integral part of Korean culture, that is being exported into the world on a large scale. The popularity of these, ensures that Korean fashion reaches screens across the globe.
Marketing
Apart from good infrastructure, government support, and affordability (that makes Korean clothing brands more purchasable), Korean fashion is known for great branding and marketing. Pop culture lends a hand here, making sure that trending styles are constantly in the public eye. All K-pop artists and bands have a specific style and fans can get their hands on similar clothing for themselves. There are specialized stores that sell K-pop merchandise as well.
