K2 Korea ... Launches Danish Outdoor 'Nordisk'

SJ Group ... Launches Lifestyle Brand 'Pan Am'

Photo provided by Pan Am

The fashion industry is actively expanding its territory through the launch of new brands.

According to the industry, K2 Korea has launched the Danish outdoor brand 'Nordisk' for next season, and SJ Group has launched 'Pan Am'. Musinsa is also introducing the British premium bicycle brand 'Brompton' as a fashion brand.

These brands are characterized as non-fashion brands. Although they are not fashion brands, they are already familiar to the public and have the advantage of easily securing brand recognition. This means a lower barrier to market entry.

Following the domestic success of 'National Geographic Apparel' by The Nature Holdings, last year saw the addition of 'Kodak Apparel', 'CNN Apparel', 'Billboard', etc., showing the active development of licenses in the non-fashion sector.

K2 Korea plans to launch the Danish outdoor brand 'Nordisk' from the spring/summer season next year.

Image from Nordisk Official Website

'Nordisk' is a brand that camping enthusiasts would be eager to own. It already has a significant following in Korea. 'Nordisk', an outdoor brand with a history and tradition that began in Denmark in 1901, has been loved by outdoor enthusiasts worldwide for 120 years. Its signature items include the polar bear symbol, cotton tents, and sleeping bags.

K2 Korea plans to showcase various outdoor lifestyles centered around the MZ generation, based on the sentiment of 'Nordisk'. Key lines include the Spirit line based on glamping life and the Ambition line based on outdoors. The distribution network aims for 40 stores including department stores and dealerships. Aggressive marketing including TV commercials is planned from the first year of launch.

SJ Group's new lifestyle brand 'Pan Am (PAN AM)' was unveiled on September 1st through the opening of its flagship store in Seongsu. Officially named Pan American Airways, it's commonly referred to as 'Pan Am'. 'Pan Am', an airline that started operations in 1927 and ceased in 1991, is regarded as a pioneer in the early aviation industry. The company has reimagined the legendary airline 'Pan Am' as a lifestyle brand.

Photo provided by Pan Am

The brand concept of 'Pan Am' is 'Life Journey Gear', meaning a tool that turns ordinary everyday life into a special journey. It conveys the message of presenting various lifestyle items that can be usefully utilized in daily life. Pan Am's main colors use the brand's signature blue and white as the base, and add red and mustard colors as points to make the collection vibrant.

The Pan Am AW22 collection is developed in three lines: Clipper, Journey, and Life. Clipper is the brand's top line that reinterprets Pan Am's heritage in various modern ways, Journey is an urban utility line that smartly combines sportiness and utilitarian elements boasting high functionality like waterproof, windproof, thermal, antibacterial, and deodorant properties, and Life is an urban casual line that can be comfortably worn in daily life.

Joyoon Cho, team leader of Pan Am, said, "Pan Am plans to open 14 stores in the second half of the year, including Lotte Guri Store, Shinsegae Cheonan Store, Ansan Store, and Galleria Gwanggyo Store, and will present various contents aimed at young professionals in their 20s and 30s."

The Nature Holdings is also introducing the British premium bicycle brand 'Brompton' as a domestic fashion brand.

After successfully establishing 'National Geographic Apparel', the company has chosen 'Brompton' as its next brand.

Brompton, started in 1976 inspired by severe traffic congestion in London, is a premium bicycle brand with a tradition of about 45 years, known for its folding bicycles. Its compact foldability and ease of carrying luggage make it popular not only for commuting but also for travel. Especially, its various designs and editions that allow customization have consistently gained popularity among bikers with unique tastes.

Photo provided by The Nature Holdings

Musinsa ... Developing 'Brompton' for 2023 F/W Season

The Nature Holdings has signed the world's first apparel license agreement with British bicycle brand 'Brompton'. The contract duration is five years, and from the 2023 F/W season, they plan to showcase a variety of fashion items using the 'Brompton' license, including clothing, shoes, and accessories.

This is the first time Brompton has entered into an official license agreement, not a collaboration.

The Nature Holdings plans to propose a 'Contemporary Look' encapsulating London's classicism and the brand's heritage based on the Brompton license. They aim to expand the target from those familiar with the 'Brompton' brand to the MZ generation who are open to new fashion, by adding practical commuter wear for working professionals who commute by bicycle and a casual mood that can be worn lightly in everyday life.

A representative of The Nature Holdings said, "We plan to build a new brand portfolio called 'London Contemporary Lifestyle' by applying the unique sentiment of Brompton, which is more than just a city bike, to fashion."

Meanwhile, the development of non-fashion brands in the fashion industry is active.

Following the success of F&F's 'Discovery Expedition' and 'MLB', The Nature Holdings' 'National Geographic Apparel' has also settled in, and in the past 1-2 years, 'Kodak Apparel', 'CNN Apparel', 'Billboard', and others have joined. 'Kodak Apparel' is a fashion brand created by Highlight Brands in 2020, introducing the camera company Kodak's license.

Stone Global's 'CNN Apparel', launched in August last year, has entered the Korean fashion market with an apparel license agreement with the American broadcasting channel 'CNN'. Recently, Stone Global plans to expand its business in the second half of the year after attracting investment from institutional investors. Baba Fashion Group entered the casual market by signing a license with the American music multimedia brand 'Billboard'. In addition, Cowell Fashion is soon to introduce 'FIFA', 'BBC Earth', 'Our Place', etc.

An industry insider said, "The fashion industry is actively expanding its business through new brand ventures. In particular, the launch of fashion brands by famous brands that have no connection to fashion seems to target the MZ generation," they said.