Salewa expands into Korea’s outdoor clothing and gear market

Salewa CEO Christoph Engl speaks during a press conference at a Salewa store in Seoul's Jongno District, Thursday. Oberalp Group Chief Sales Officer Stefan Rainer, right, and SMK Company CEO Kim Yong-yop join the conference. Korea Times photo by Ko Dong-hwan

Italian mountaineering fashion and gear brand Salewa is pursuing market expansion into Korea. After opening its first store in Seoul in March, the company said Thursday that it plans to open a second one next year, rolling out marketing strategies tailored to Koreans who enjoy outdoor fashion as part of their everyday lifestyle.

Salewa CEO Christoph Engl and Chief Sales Officer Stefan Rainer shared the brand’s vision for the Korean market during a press conference at the Salewa store in Jongno 5-ga, Seoul, where global outdoor clothing and gear brands have clustered since the 1970s, turning the area into a gathering point for outdoor enthusiasts.

The executives said the company will introduce lightweight outerwear for Korean consumers as well as boots, backpacks and other outdoor gear for which Salewa has made its name across Europe. Salewa was first launched in Munich in the 1930s before moving to the South Tyrol region in northern Italy.

“When it comes to our products for mountaineering, we don’t compromise anything. They were all made from a technical point of view by taking into account heavy mountain conditions to provide comfort for all users. Mountain trekking experiences are now increasingly valued among people in urban environments,” Engl said.

SMK Company, the exclusive distributor in Korea, signed the distribution rights agreement with Oberalp Group, which owns and runs Salewa, in 2024. After signing the deal, Salewa began developing and distributing new products for the Korean market, instead of just lending its branding for licensing.

Salewa store in Seoul's Jongno District / Courtesy of Salewa

SMK started distributing Salewa products in Korea earlier this year, starting with their spring-summer collection. The fall-winter collection will be on shelves starting this month.

Inspired by the Dolomite Mountains in Italy and targeting mountaineering experts with premium quality products, Salewa’s lineup includes gear for speed hiking, trekking, mountaineering, climbing and alpine lifestyle. Currently, lightweight outerwear makes up more than half of the brand’s stock in both their physical store and online merchandise, with the rest consisting of shoes, backpacks and outdoor items.

SMK Company CEO Kim Yong-yop said it will expand Salewa in Korea “slowly and naturally,” by growing the Jongno shop rather than aggressively expanding the number of local stores. He said the first Salewa store has seen “satisfying performance” since March.

“Consumers in Europe and Korea are similar as to needs in the mountain trekking product market. The Dolomites are geographically similar in traits to rocky Korean mountains. So Salewa fits well with Korean users,” Kim said.