Park Jin-hai primarily focuses on K-dramas, entertainment shows and actor interviews. Beyond that, she also pens articles covering the broader arts scene, with a particular emphasis on classical music, dance and various aspects of lifestyle. Since joining The Korea Times in 2013, she has made significant contributions in the realms of hallyu (Korean wave), industry news and international affairs.
Home shopping fashion brand goes global
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Models showcase home shopping channel CJ O Shopping’s lingerie brand “Fedelia,” at the opening of the premier fashion show Salon International de la Lingerie, held at Porte de Versailles on Jan. 25 (local time). / Courtesy of CJ O Shopping
By Park Jin-hai
Top designers join to gain upgraded premium image
By Park Jin-hai
Parisians watched female models walk on runways showcasing elegant and lacy work of underwear with oriental embroidery.
For the first time, the Korean brand “Fedelia” graced the opening of the premier fashion show Salon International de la Lingerie held at Porte de Versailles on Jan. 25.
The CJ O Shopping private brand created in collaboration with the former Christian Dior designer Cilia Boes, won the spotlight against competing 550 brand names from 38 countries.
Earlier this month rival home shopping giant GS Shop held a lingerie collection at Pier 59 Studio in New York and launched three new brands for the spring/summer season.
At a time when local fashion brands are faced with stagnant market growth, the home shopping channels with immense distribution power, are pitching its overseas market collection.
Models walk on runways wearing GS Shop’s f/w collection, in collaboration with local designers, as part of the “GS Shop Global Fashion Project,” at High Line Hotel in New York in this September 2013 file photo. / Courtesy of GS Shop
Home shopping fashion, previously regarded as a sector whose strength was its low-priced and trend-following (as opposed to trend-leading) items, has emerged as an incubator of K-fashion.
Two of the leading firms are GS Shop and CJ O Shopping. Closely chasing behind is Hyundai Home Shopping. GS claims it to be the “supporter of K-fashion renaissance,” while CJ calls it “K-fashion’s messenger.”
CJ O Shopping’s representative private lingerie brand “Fedelia” worked with supermodel Gisele Bunchen in 2011 and wedding dress designer Vera Wang in 2012, launching “Vera Wang for Fedelia.” Vera Wang’s collection sold 1 billion won in the first 50 minutes after it was broadcast through the home shopping channel.
Since December 2012, it has also collaborated with former Christian Dior designer Cilia Boes, introducing "Fidelia by Cilia Boes" line. It has participated in the Paris International Lingerie Show five times since the brand’s launch.
It is now available in six countries, including China (2009), India (2010), and Vietnam (2012). Of present, it records the sales of 3 billion won when it is aired for an hour in China’s home shopping channels alone.
In October 2013, CJ O Shopping unveiled its blue print to make contract with the Council of Fashion Designers of Korea (CFDK) to support some 50 local designers aiming to launch their fashion lines abroad over the five years.
“With K-pop sweeping the global music scene, I believe the day is not so far until the people in the world will recognize K-fashion,” said Lee Hae-sun, president of CJ O Shopping on the day of the signing ceremony with the CFDK. She added that by supporting CFDK designers, CJ will raise the awareness of the world about the high quality and uniqueness of K-fashion.”
The selected designers will collaborate with the retailer and launch their own brands through the channel. At the same time they will showcase their collections in the Seoul Collection and help their items to be sold through its overseas shopping channels and department stores.
Since 2001, it supported overseas debut of local designers including Woo Young-mi and Sim Seol-hwa. It also launched “Demin” by designer Jang Min-young and made it the first Korean brand to enter Hong Kong’s largest luxury collection store I.T. last year. CJ will hold K- fashion pop-u stores on a regular basis there.
CJ set the target of increasing annual sales from its designer brands by 500 billion won in five years.
GS Shop, CJ O Shopping’s archrival, is not lagging in the competition either.
Since 2012, it has collaborated with 15 local designers, launched home shopping fashion brands like designer Son Jung-wan’s “SJ WANI.” From July to September 2013, it has held “GS Shop Global Fashion Project,” where those 15 local designers showcased their collections in Paris, Milan, London and New York.
In October 2013, it also announced it will strengthen its fashion business further through a collaborative business model where designers and manufacturers work hand in hand.
“While the local fashion brands, squeezed between luxury garment lines and SPA products, are experiencing dwindling market shares, the home shopping fashion sector is actually booming,” said Kuak Jae-woo, head of GS Shop trend business division.
“Since early 2000s home shopping has started to provide a middle ground that meets the need for higher quality and lower priced goods by tapping top designers into the retail. And it worked,” he added.
The retailer exports fashion products through partnered television shopping channels in six nations including India, Thailand, and Turkey.
Market experts point out that the fact that home shopping doesn’t need to engage in the fierce competition to open stores and find new sales routes is accelerating their overseas market expansion.
Meanwhile, the total sales of home shopping fashion sector accounted for 3 trillion won, out of 45 trillion worth local fashion market as of 2012. However, experts predict its share will grow to 5 trillion in two to three years, taking up more than 10 percent of the local market.
Both GS and CJ home shopping networks posted over 1 trillion won last year. The sales accrued from fashion business accounted for 40 and 37 percent of the total sales respectively.