MUSINSA Global reported a notable expansion in the Japanese market during the third quarter of 2025 (July–September), fueled by the strong performance of small and emerging K-fashion brands.
According to MUSINSA’ the Gross Merchandise Volume(GMV) generated in Japan through MUSINSA Global Store increased by 120% year-over-year, while the number of purchasing customers also surged by 113%. As of September, the platform’s monthly active users(MAU) in Japan grew more than threefold compared to the same period last year.
This remarkable growth stems from MUSINSA’s data-driven localization strategy. By analyzing domestic sales data, MUSINSA introduced themed curations such as “Popular Korean Brands,” “Seoul’s Trending Brands,” and “K-pop Idol Picks”—enabling Japanese consumers with a strong interest in K-fashion to easily explore Korea’s latest trends and thereby boosting purchase conversion rates.
MUSINSA also strengthened collaborations with influential Japanese celebrities and models, expanding localized marketing efforts. In September, the brand launched the “Rashisa(らしさ)” campaign—meaning “authentic self” in Japanese—featuring 15 Japanese fashion models and influencers, including popular model and actress Sena Nakajima. The campaign showcased individuality and self-expression through diverse styling, drawing significant attention from Japan’s MZ generation.
The online showcase linked to the campaign featured over 1,000 Korean designer brands, resulting in tangible sales performance. Brands such as △MUCENT, △aeae and △ILLIGO received enthusiastic responses from Japanese customers, each recording monthly GMV exceeding USD 100,000 in September alone.
Today, MUSINSA introduces more than 3,000 K-fashion brands to Japanese consumers, solidifying its position as the largest platform in Japan for discovering Korean designer labels. The number of brands achieving rapid growth through MUSINSA Global continues to rise: in Q3 2025, over 260 brands—including △The Coldest Moment, △AAKAM, and △FANCY CLUB—achieved more than triple their GMV year-over-year in Japan.
A MUSINSA official said, “MUSINSA is leading the successful entry of K-fashion brands into Japan through deep local insight and data-driven strategy. This achievement reflects the impressive growth of small and emerging Korean brands in the Japanese market. We will continue to expand our platform-based support to help more K-fashion brands establish a stable and sustainable presence in Japan.”