Luxury ready-to-wear and accessories label, Gabriela Hearst, has opened its first exclusive store in Asia in partnership with South Korean fashion retailer Handsome Corp
Located at the main branch of the Hyundai Department Store in Apgujeong Seoul, the Gabriela Hearst South Korea store was imagined by two designers, Benji Gavron and Antoine Dumas. The store’s interior is dominated by wooden furniture made from local timber Zelkova.
“During the process, they partnered with three Korean-based woodworking studios,” the brand said.
Gabriela Hearst Apgujeong follows the label’s signature warm-tone ambience. The residence is home to the label’s full collections, including ready-to-wear, fine merino wool and cashmere knitwear, footwear, and handbags.
The store also exclusively offers Gabriela Hearst handbag collection in the region, specifically the Nina, the Demi, the Diana, the Baez and the Nostalgia, among others.
The brand’s founder, Gabriela Hearst, told WWD she plans to open another location at Hyundai Pangyo in March.
Along with Gabriela Hearst, two other designer brands – Veronica Beard and Toteme – have been brought to the country through exclusive distribution agreements with Handsome Corp, which is the fashion unit of Hyundai Department Store Group.
For the past few years, South Korea has grown into a hotspot for luxury brands to further capture affluent customers in Asia. According to Seoul-based consulting firm Samjong KPMG, the country’s luxury goods market surged by 29.6 per cent year-on-year to $US5.8 billion in 2021. The company projects the market will reach $7 billion by 2024.
