More Than Just a Fashion Brand

2023 The Transformed 'Maestro' | 1 — Photo provided by Maestro

LG Fashion's flagship menswear brand 'Maestro' comes in a new form next season. 'Maestro' is considered a leading brand in domestic menswear.

'Maestro' has not only solidified its position as a long-standing brand that remains unchanged over time but also offers values beyond that of a fashion brand to its customers. This season, we had a look at the changed 'Maestro'.

'Maestro' is officially a representative menswear brand in Korea, transcending generations. The history of the brand goes back to Bando Fashion menswear. The beginning of LF Fashion started in 1974 with the organization of Bando Fashion within Bando Commercial Company. Bando Fashion launched Bando ladies' wear in 1974 and opened its first store in Myeongdong in December. It then launched Bando menswear in December 1975 and expanded into a total brand by introducing accessories and casual wear.

In 1983, it partnered with the British company Daks Simpson to launch the license brand 'Daks', opening a 'Daks' store in Chungmuro, laying the foundation for growth as a total brand. In May 1985, the menswear factory, Yang San Factory, was completed, introducing a CAD system to create an advanced environment in terms of scale and technology, and in 1986, LF launched its main brand, the menswear suit 'Maestro', expanding into the fashion business.

At its launch, 'Maestro' received positive reviews for offering a wide range of additional products such as coats, formal wear, jackets without back vents, and pleated pants, thereby broadening the choices for customers and establishing itself as a luxury menswear brand.

'Maestro' has been able to continually receive love from consumers over the years due to its technological superiority from operating its own world-class menswear factory, as well as the company's active investment in quality and facilities.

2023 The Transformed 'Maestro' | 2 — Photo provided by Maestro

'Maestro' History

The period when 'Maestro' experienced significant growth was in 2008. The production of the drama Beethoven Virus and the main character Kim Myung-Min's costumes composed of the 'Kang Maestro line' brought favorable responses. It was exceptional in the menswear industry to receive a third reorder, leading to consecutive wins in the National Customer Satisfaction Index (NCSI) for the menswear suit category for two years.

At that time, 'Maestro' enhanced customer engagement through meticulous pre-planning, accurate design, MD composition, and marketing. These efforts began as early as 2003 with the launch of the 'Cadels' line as part of the premiumization and globalization efforts. The 'Cadels' line, targeted at successful professionals and executives aged 35 to 45, was launched as a top-quality, high-sensitivity product line adhering to an Italian modern classic concept. The period when 'Maestro' began to focus on premiumization goes even further back.

In 2001, the launch of the 'Luxe Line', a premium soft suit, and in 2002, the 'Exclusive Line', aimed at the semi-prestige class, followed by the release of the 'Cadels Line', positioned 'Maestro' as a market leader by staying ahead of trends. In 2004, a new strategy was devised to grow into a global menswear brand, launching the new pattern 'Masterpiece 763' suits.'Maestro' made bold investments in product development starting January 2003. As a result, it broke the mold of traditional menswear by introducing new suits that redesigned the shoulders, chest, and waist for enhanced comfort and fit. Following this, 'Maestro' launched the 'Masterpiece 1.618' in February 2005, aiming for a global luxury brand. 'Masterpiece 1.618' is named after the golden ratio of the human body described by the Italian mathematician Fibonacci, mentioned in the widely read novel The Da Vinci Code. It is designed to balance the proportions of the top and bottom, improving the fit by aligning with the curves of the human body, particularly for Korean men. This new pattern was applied not only to suit jackets but also to trousers and shirts to create a slimmer overall appearance.

The Transformed 'Maestro' | 3 — Photo provided by Maestro

Breaking the Paradigm of Menswear with the Birth of 'NAPOLI330'

'Maestro's passion for product development did not stop here. In 2010, to commemorate the G20, the 'G20 Commemorative Suit' was launched. The 'G20 Commemorative Suit' featured four styles representing leaders from around the world, including South Korea's President Lee Myung-bak, U.S. President Obama, France's President Sarkozy, and Italy's Prime Minister Berlusconi. For the launch of the 'G20 Commemorative Suit', 'Maestro' collaborated with South Korea's top professional stylists to reinterpret each country's characteristics and the representative's image, creating the optimal suit for each of the four.

'Maestro' then broke the existing paradigm of menswear with the release of 'Napoli 330', causing a stir in the industry. 'Napoli330', following the history and tradition of Italy, was launched in 2011, uniquely produced through a 330-step process worldwide to achieve the utmost comfort. Made as a full canvas without using glued interlining but instead canvassing the entire jacket and stitching along the seams, it offers a natural shoulder line and a more voluminous chest and waist. The 'Napoli330' jacket enhances wearability by applying the 'Manica Camica' method, sewing the sleeves to the body like a shirt, and features real buttonholes instead of decorative buttons, doubling consumer satisfaction. The left pocket is designed to give a three-dimensional effect, making the jacket look natural as if wearing a shirt.

The Transformed 'Maestro' | 6 — Photo provided by Maestro

Especially, 'Napoli330' is a premium line that continues the authenticity of Italian suits, produced by Napoli's finest artisans through a sophisticated handmade process, with only about ten suits made per day. It remains a popular flagship item for 'Maestro' to this day. Even 'Maestro', which has enjoyed the pinnacle of men's fashion in Korea for 27 years, has faced challenges. In 2010, as the character casual market expanded into the men's suit segment, both young and middle-aged customer bases began to shift away, resulting in declining sales.To overcome this, 'Maestro' focused more on enhancing brand value, increasing the efficiency of existing stores per unit, and investing more in product improvement, thereby overcoming the recession.

The Transformed 'Maestro' | 7 — Photo provided by Maestro

Next Year's Key Strategic Items: Suits, SET-UP, and Expansion of Leather

Since its inception in 1986, 'Maestro' has been a premium menswear brand aiming for a social life, proposing the optimal style for people who value social relationships. The core value of 'Maestro' is to provide comfortable wear through ergonomic patterns, continually researching technology with world-class artisans. Its unique Neapolitan silhouette is recognized for perfect tailoring that beautifully accentuates the physique of Korean men in the most elegant way. Moreover, 'Maestro' maintains consistent quality based on technological innovation and craftsmanship, producing high-quality clothing with the finest materials and handcrafted touches.

The Transformed 'Maestro' | 8 — Photo provided by Maestro

'Maestro's next spring/summer season begins with a concept called 'ARTY CRAFTY', a new start into real life that can only be felt in the world with tactile and visual stimulation. It showcases artistic color implementation and coordination with fabrics and making infused with 'Maestro's craftsmanship. The collection line is a new capsule line born through collaboration with a design house created by a female clothing expert, originally a chief designer of slogans. It will gradually unfold through signature stores, presenting new content to young new customer groups. 'Maestro's key strategic items for the 23SS next year include an expansion of suits, set-ups, and leather. The suits will see an increased emphasis through stretch new materials and in-house production, while the set-up is 'Maestro's new lineup that can be worn more casually than suits. The collection also includes a variety of materials and colors such as cotton, linen, synthetic fibers, and wool.

The Transformed 'Maestro' | 9 — Photo provided by Maestro

Leather and innerwear are differentiated by materials and colors infused with Arty crafty elements, focusing on product planning centered on coordination to expand casual inner sales. A differentiated collection line (COLLECTION LINE) and imported products from abroad (Santaniello, Xacus, Briglia, etc.) will strengthen competitiveness and distinctiveness by buying the best brands and products for each item. Especially for providing differentiated store services, the expansion of 'Signature Store' (new SI manual application) is planned. 'Signature Store' will unfold the collection line and conduct specialized bespoke services, embodying the premium menswear brand that 'Maestro' aspires to be. *** TAG 0 *** #LF #Menswear #Maestro