MUSINSA is launching an incubation program to support the successful entry of Korean designer brands into the Japanese fashion market.
MUSINSA has partnered with five domestic designer brands — LOW CLASSIC Lc, RONRON, YOUHEE, CRANK, and FENNEC — to begin a validation program designed to help them establish a foothold in Japan. The program will proceed in three stages: △MUSINSA Showroom to expand B2B sales △Offline pop-ups linked with MUSINSA Global Store △Brand relay pop-up stores to gauge offline customer response. Through these steps, MUSINSA will evaluate the potential for Japanese market entry and build a stable localization strategy based on stage-by-stage achievements.
The participating brands were selected based on MUSINSA’s assessment of their growth potential, leveraging the distribution network the company has built over the past four years in Japan. At the same time, factors such as global store sales data, each brand’s originality, and product planning capabilities were comprehensively reflected in the decision.
As the start of the incubation program, MUSINSA operated a showroom in Tokyo from September 16 to 19, which also served as a local buyers’ trade show, supporting the expansion of K-fashion brands into the Japanese market. The showroom was held over four days at QCcube in Minami-Aoyama, Minato City, an area known for its concentration of global brand boutiques. The event attracted strong responses from many buyers, including those from Japanese department stores and select shops such as Daimaru and UNITED ARROWS.
In particular, the showroom was significant in that it delivered tangible results contributing to the global sales expansion of the participating brands. The brands signed seasonal order contracts with buyers from Japanese department stores and select shops, and engaged in concrete discussions across various areas, including new product collaborations and pop-up stores in partnership with local distributors.
LOW CLASSIC Lc drew buyers’ attention with product displays that effectively conveyed the brand’s identity, receiving positive responses across multiple categories including denim, shirts, and accessories. RONRON’s signature ribbon-design items were well received, while YOUHEE attracted strong interest from buyers for its distinctive design style. FENNEC confirmed demand in various segments thanks to its competitive design and pricing, and CRANK garnered notable attention, with buyers inquiring about new products based on its unique design aesthetic.
Starting October 3, MUSINSA will launch an offline pop-up store in conjunction with MUSINSA Global Store to test online sales and gauge consumer response. Running for 24 days until October 26 at Media Department Tokyo in the heart of Shibuya, Tokyo, the MUSINSA Tokyo Pop-up Store 2025 will showcase key products and connect to online sales through an O4O(Online for Offline) service using QR codes.
A MUSINSA representative commented, “At this showroom, a significant number of buyers were not simply conducting research but were actively seeking products with the intent to purchase and deepen their understanding of K-fashion brands. In particular, we saw an increase in buyers who traveled from outside of Tokyo to attend, and many placed orders for complete coordinated looks featured in the lookbook, reaffirming both the popularity and potential of K-fashion.”