National Geographic Apparel Brand Soars in South Korea, Sets Expansion into China

South Korea's unexpected fashion hit, the National Geographic apparel line, is set for a significant expansion in China. Nature Holdings Co., which holds the licensing rights in Korea, will unveil seven retail outlets in the upcoming months. The move comes after the brand's immense success in Korea, Hong Kong, and Taiwan, marking a bold step in global fashion trends.

The Korea Economic Daily reported that Nature Holdings Co., which operates Korea’s National Geographic brand, is expanding to China and is set to open seven retail outlets there. The company is planning to launch the stores starting this month until December.

Nature Holdings Co. owns a right to National Geographic apparel line after acquiring a license from the US-based National Geographic Partners. In Korea, the brand was first introduced in 2016, and it has since gained massive popularity among the young generation of shoppers in the country.

It was also noted that the brand has a significant presence in Hong Kong and Taiwan. The Korean unit is now stepping up its marketing strategy by building stores in China, targeting the premium fashion market.

The first store of National Geographic is set to open on Sept. 9 in Nanjing, inside the upscale Deji Plaza shopping mall, and this will serve as a pre-opening business run before the official operations begin in October. Nature Holdings will also set up a pop-up store in Beijing.

Three additional stores are launching in Beijing in December, and Shanghai will open two branches in November. Nature Holdings aims to open 600 outlets in China in the long term, as per Hankyung News.

Meanwhile, Nature Holdings is targeting the premium market, and a company official explained why. “Before entering China, we conducted a local awareness survey on brand value, and we confirmed National Geographic’s potential for success as a premium brand,” he said.

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