Musinsa is helping 15 Korean fashion brands enter China through a Shanghai pop-up store, offering support from product certification to in-store sales.
Backed by the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Resource and the Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, the Musinsa Shanghai Pop-up Store 2026 aims to reduce the costs and practical hurdles small and midsize brands face when entering the market.
The store opened Aug. 21 and runs through Nov. 30 at Jing An Kerry Centre on Nanjing West Road, a major Shanghai shopping district home to global flagship stores. It had drawn more than 10,000 visitors as of Sept. 21.
Participating brands include Lookast, Lebah and Tillaidie, selected based on local demand and consumer preferences. Musinsa helps them meet Chinese product standards required for local distribution and handles on-site sales operations.
“Small brands preparing to expand overseas often lack information and experience in local markets and face the burden of handling various distribution-related tasks themselves,” an official from participating brand RSSC said.
The official said Musinsa’s operational support allowed the brand to focus on its products and customer experience.
A Musinsa official said strong Chinese interest in Korean fashion offers opportunities, but securing product certifications and building local distribution networks require substantial investment.
“By combining support from the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy and KOTRA with Musinsa’s local distribution infrastructure and operational capabilities, we will lower barriers for Korean fashion brands and help turn their entry into sales opportunities,” the official said.
Musinsa is also using its permanent Shanghai store to help Korean brands build awareness and test demand. Its Anfu Road store, which opened in December, has hosted pop-ups for Ronron, Sculptor and Stand Oil. Find Kapoor will hold a monthlong pop-up there starting Oct. 30.
jyoungseon8@heraldcorp.com