South Korean entertainment and e-commerce giant CJ ENM Co. has launched a domestic fashion brand called Barneys New York, a luxury department store chain targeting the country’s high-end fashion market.
CJ ENM said on Monday it signed an exclusive licensing agreement with American Authentic Brands Group last October to operate Barneys New York’s domestic fashion business. The American brand management company owns the rights to operate Barneys New York.
CJ, the producer and distributor of hit movies and TV shows, will unveil its Barney New York fall/winter collection on Tuesday.
The autumn and winter clothing is made of high-quality materials, with elegant and exquisite designs, mainly trench coats, plaid jackets and other outerwear.
Founded in 1923, Barneys New York has brought high-end European brands to the United States and set trends through collaborations with designers and artists.
In South Korea, CJ ENM will also collaborate with Italian-born illustrator Olympia Zagnoli, known for her work with luxury brands such as Prada and Dior, on a limited-edition collection to commemorate the Mahattan-based department store’s 100th anniversary.
These limited-edition garments will be launched to offline customers starting September 5 at a pop-up store inside LF’s fashion boutique Raum East in southern Seoul, along with the autumn/winter collection.
They will also be sold on CELEPSHOP, CJ ENM’s fashion platform for women aged 35 to 44.
Ahead of the official launch, CJ ENM held an event to commemorate the launch of the autumn/winter collection on August 31 at Garosu-gil, a popular high-end street in Seoul with fashionable and designer stores.
CJ Group, which specializes in food and entertainment, said it will continue to collaborate with global brands or artists every season to launch exclusive Barneys New York-branded products for Korean fashionistas.
“This collection embodies the sensibility and 100-year history of Barneys New York, which has led the American fashion industry,” said Hwang Yena, who is in charge of CJ ENM’s new fashion business.
“We will continue to cooperate with many artists in the cultural and art circles to present new trends in the domestic fashion market.”
South Korea has quickly become a major luxury market thanks to the growing purchasing power of Millennials and Generation Z, as well as global fans of K-pop music and Korean dramas.
