Musinsa turns to Indonesia to accelerate its Southeast Asia push

Musinsa's corporate identity / Courtesy of Musinsa

Musinsa is turning to Indonesia's sprawling retail network to accelerate its push into Southeast Asia, partnering with PT Mitra Adiperkasa Tbk (MAP), the country's largest retail group.

Musinsa and MAP signed an exclusive distribution agreement in July and will use the partnership to expand the offline presence of Musinsa Standard while tailoring products and marketing to Indonesian consumers.

MAP operates more than 4,000 retail stores in more than 80 Indonesian cities and has a portfolio of more than 150 global brands, according to its latest company disclosures.

Musinsa said it plans to use MAP's nationwide network and local retail expertise to build a business platform suited to the Indonesian market.

Indonesia, with a population of about 280 million, is the largest consumer market in Southeast Asia and has emerged as a key target for Musinsa's regional expansion.

Demand for Korean fashion has continued to grow with the influence of K-pop and Korean dramas, while major cities such as Jakarta have seen strong consumption of global fashion brands, Musinsa said.

That interest is already showing up in sales, with the transaction value of Musinsa's global store in Indonesia rising about 70 percent in the first half of this year from the same period a year earlier.

Musinsa plans to establish Musinsa Standard locations in major Indonesian shopping districts as it seeks to bring Korean fashion closer to local consumers.

The company said the partnership will combine MAP's experience operating global brands across Indonesia with Musinsa's strength in Korean fashion.

A Musinsa representative said Indonesia is a strategic market because of its large domestic consumer base and strong demand for Korean fashion already demonstrated through the global store.

The representative said the company plans to offer Indonesian customers a new brand experience that connects online and offline shopping.

Musinsa said the partnership will also allow it to develop localized product operations and marketing strategies as it expands.

The company said the Indonesian business is part of its broader effort to deepen its presence in Southeast Asia.

This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.