Five South Korean Hanbok Brands Seek European Distribution Channels in Milan and Paris

[Financial News] Five South Korean hanbok brands are targeting the European market, using Milan Fashion Week as a springboard. Two of them will also participate in an additional exhibition during Paris Fashion Week.
On Oct. 21, the MCST announced that it would hold the "2026 Hanbok Overseas Base Promotion" in Milan, Italy, and Paris, France, from Oct. 22 to Oct. 6, in cooperation with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (KCDF). Held for the first time this year, the event will feature LEESLE, MOOROOTS, ONDATA, SHEEN SEOUL and Happly, which were selected based on their potential for overseas expansion and product competitiveness.
In Milan, each brand will have an exhibition booth at the Studio Zeta Showroom from Oct. 22 to Oct. 5. The brands will showcase products that reinterpret the aesthetic elements of traditional hanbok through contemporary materials and designs.
One-on-one customized export consultations will also be held, reflecting each brand's characteristics and target markets. The organizers will connect the brands in advance with global distributors and specialized buyers to identify overseas distribution channels and explore opportunities for retail placement and export contracts.
On Oct. 26, the brands will hold presentations and a networking reception at Palazzo Isimbardi. During the presentations, they will introduce their philosophies and design directions to overseas media outlets, buyers, influencers and fashion industry professionals. A K-culture experience program will be offered at the reception, which is expected to attract about 150 people.
The Milan exhibitions and consultations will be linked to an additional exhibition in Paris. The program focuses on turning local interest into actual business opportunities by leveraging Fashion Week periods in both cities.
An additional showroom will operate at Hôtel Marcel Dassault in Paris from Oct. 1 to 6. Two brands will be selected based on a comprehensive assessment of the Milan event's results and their potential for overseas expansion, with plans to carry business opportunities identified locally through to Paris.
Jeong Hyang-mi, director general of the Cultural Arts Policy Office at the MCST, said, "Hanbok is a representative form of K-content that preserves the beauty of our tradition while combining it with modern design to demonstrate new possibilities in the global fashion market." She expressed hope that South Korean brands would establish overseas distribution networks and expand into global markets.

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