Andersson Bell plots global fashion growth – VOGUE BUSINESS
Wed 14 Jun
Seoul’s breakthrough fashion label is gearing up for Milan Fashion Week Men’s. Ahead of the show — its first outside of South Korea — founder and creative director Dohun Kim speaks exclusively with Vogue Business about its expansion.
"I want to present looks that can be easily worn in everyday life."
Dohun Kim
Few Korean fashion labels have succeeded in winning over domestic stockists as well as international retailers. Andersson Bell, the Seoul-based brand founded in 2014 by Dohun Kim, is celebrating such a feat as it approaches its 10-year anniversary. Now, the brand is gearing up to present its first runway show at the Spring/Summer 2024 edition of Milan Fashion Week (MFW) Men’s on 18 June, as it looks to expand further globally.
Speaking with Vogue Business ahead of the show, Kim describes Andersson Bell’s journey to date as a “preparation period”. “Now, I truly believe that I can excel in the fashion industry,” he says.
While many of the Korean diaspora may now see the culture they grew up with — also known as Hallyu, or “Korean Wave” — celebrated internationally, truly global fashion exports from the country have dropped off in recent years. The most notable to make it internationally are years into their trajectories: Gentle Monster — the eyewear brand founded by Jay Oh and Hankook Kim in Seoul in 2011 and backed by LVMH's private equity arm since 2017 — and Wooyoungmi, the menswear label launched in Paris by designer Youngmi Woo in 2002. Korean labels including Ader Error, which collaborated with Zara in 2021 and 2022, and Post Archive Faction, loved by rappers like A$AP Rocky and Central Cee, are starting to make waves overseas, but aren’t found in local boutiques, which tend to sell easier-to-wear brands such as Kijin and The Open Product.
The tide may be turning as South Korea follows in the footsteps of Japan, whose economy — as well as its brands — have benefitted from the cultural sway that has captivated global audiences over the past two to three decades. South Korea took 12th place among the 19 members of the G20 for GDP growth in 2022. A bustling public transportation system, increased tourism and growing English literacy levels all point to economic prosperity.