Matin Kim will open its first stores in China and Vietnam in October and enter Senegal in the second half of this year, brand incubator Hago Haus said Tuesday.
The Senegal launch would make Matin Kim the first Korean fashion brand to set up shop in the West African country, according to Hago Haus, which has run the brand since 2021.
Matin Kim is quickly expanding operations on the back of strong interest from overseas customers. The brand opened its first overseas store in Hong Kong in October 2024, followed by Taiwan and Macao the same year. Japan, Thailand and Bulgaria followed in 2025 and Mongolia in May this year. As of the end of July, there are 26 stores outside Korea.
Each market has a different assortment.
In China, the brand will lead with new arrivals alongside steady sellers from its Korean stores. It is also weighing an exclusive ball cap to be sold only in Beijing and Shanghai, timed to the store openings.
Vietnam will get logo-driven pieces meant to communicate the brand at a glance, plus lightweight items less tied to a season. Accessories, including an exclusive denim cap and the twin-pocket bag, are also planned as anchors.
In Senegal, rather than a stand-alone store, Matin Kim will be available at a multibrand select shop, stocking logo items and accessories alongside short-sleeve T-shirts and light outerwear. Sizing and silhouettes will be adjusted later based on how local shoppers respond, the company said.
Taking into account the different climates of its diverse markets, the brand plans to phase in more performance fabrics as it reads seasonal patterns and sales figures, and to include short-sleeve pieces in fall-winter collections for warmer markets.
"We will keep pushing the overseas business so the brand can establish itself as a global name representing K-fashion while strengthening its competitiveness in each market," a Hago Haus official said.
yoohong@heraldcorp.com