Kwak Yeon-soo is a digital editor at The Korea Times creating, editing and curating digital content for the newspaper’s website, mobile app and social media. She previously covered a diverse array of cultural, political and business topics.
Warmer winter boon for short puffers jackets, iced drinks
Consumers are trying out short puffer jackets at Hyundai Department Store in Seoul, Nov. 10. A growing number of people are buying short parkas over long ones due to warm weather. / Korea Times file
By Kwak Yeon-soo
By Kwak Yeon-soo
A warm winter is giving rise to new fashion trends and consumer behaviors as a growing number of people are buying short puffer jackets and iced drinks over long padded coats and hot beverages, according to industry officials Wednesday.
Korea is experiencing its warmest December in 12 years. The average temperature forDecember was 1.8 degrees Celsius, up 2.4 degrees Celsius from the same month in 2018, according to data from Korea Meteorological Administration.
For the past few years, ultra-long puffer jackets were must-have items here. However, a growing number of consumers are flocking to short puffer and fleece jackets.
“I don't like wearing long padded jackets unless it's freezing cold because it hides my outfit underneath,” said Keum Jung-yeon, who lives in Busan.
Fleece jackets have also become a hot item this year, in line with the retro design and color trend.
Discovery, a brand well-known for ultra-long parkas, announced that its biggest seller for this year is fleece jackets.
“Fleece items are receiving a very good response and we expect sales to reach 50 billion won ($43 million) by the end of this year,” said an official at F&F, which owns the brand.
SPAO, a brand of Eland World's SPA, increased the number of short puffer products by 145 percent while reducing the number of long puffer products by 70 percent.
Officials say that fleece jackets and ultra-light short padded jackets are highly applicable, as they can be worn underneath coats during winter and as outerwear in fall and spring.
Major department stores ― Lotte, Hyundai and Shinsegae ― are also seeing a decline in outdoor apparel sales.
“Because this year is warmer than last year, consumer demand for long-padded jackets has fallen compared with the same period in 2018,” an official at fashion industry said on condition of anonymity. “However, demand for premium outer jackets is rising.”
Meanwhile, iced beverages are continuing to see robust sales in the winter.
According to Starbucks Coffee Korea, the sales of iced drinks in November and December increased 20 percent compared with the same period a year ago. Iced drinks accounted for about 50 percent of all beverage orders, compared with 40 percent a year earlier.
Hollys Coffee said it introduced a new tumbler and mug for iced drinks to its winter-themed merchandise list.
“For people who cannot resist cool beverages even in the winter, we've decided to launch tumblers and mugs for iced drinks,” a Hollys Coffee official said.