What Samsung C&T Fashion Group does

Samsung C&T Fashion Group is the fashion division of Samsung C&T Corporation, the publicly listed Korean conglomerate (KRX: 028260). Headquartered in Seoul since the 2015 relocation to the Dogok building and tracing its lineage to Cheil Industries, founded September 15, 1954, the business today operates a multi-brand fashion platform combining a portfolio of owned Korean heritage brands (Beanpole since 1977, GALAXY since 1983, KUHO, LEBEIGE, JUUN.J, ROGATIS, 8seconds, and newer launches including KUHO plus, SHIFT.G, SAND SOUND, The Aperture, and anggae) with exclusive or primary distribution rights for an extensive roster of international fashion brands spanning luxury (LEMAIRE, BALMAIN, ALAÏA, ISSEY MIYAKE and sub-lines PLEATS PLEASE, HOMME PLISSÉ, BAO BAO, me ISSEY MIYAKE, COMME DES GARCONS), contemporary (GANNI, JACQUEMUS, TORY BURCH, Theory, AMI, Maison Kitsune, rag & bone, Studio Nicholson, ALICE + OLIVIA, ALANUI equivalent), French mid-market (SANDRO, Maje, FURSAC, CLAUDIE), footwear (FitFlop, Scholl), and Dutch tailoring (SUITSUPPLY). The company also operates CSR programs including HEARTIST (universal design fashion for people with disabilities, launched April 2019), HEART FOR EYE (vision correction for low-income children), and SFDF (designer support fund since 2005).

The business model spans three revenue streams: direct sales of owned brands, wholesale/distribution revenue from international brands, and royalties/licensing fees. The distribution footprint combines a proprietary e-commerce platform (SSF SHOP at ssfshop.com), Korean department store shop-in-shop concessions, standalone brand concept stores (including FitFlop's 22 shop-in-shops and growing standalone presence), and lifestyle multi-brand concept stores (10 Corso Como Seoul, BEAKER, ZIP739). International operations are anchored by wholly owned or branch offices in Shanghai (2002, Samsung Fashion Trading Co., Ltd.), Milan (2003, Cheil Industries Italy srl, now also running LEMAIRE global wholesale since 2022), New York (2004), Tokyo (2005), and Hanoi (2014 for production sourcing). Technology infrastructure includes AI-powered product recommendation, virtual fitting, and automated product description tools deployed across global retail brands, alongside omnichannel retail systems. Revenue figures are not publicly broken out at the division level.

Name

Samsung C&T Fashion Group

Legal name

Samsung C&T Fashion Group

Website

https://samsungfashion.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1954

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Samsung C&T Fashion Group is the fashion division of Samsung C&T Corporation, operating a multi-brand fashion retail and distribution platform with owned Korean heritage brands (Beanpole, GALAXY, KUHO, 8seconds) and exclusive Korean distribution of over 20 international luxury, contemporary, and footwear brands, serving Korean consumers through SSF SHOP e-commerce, department store concessions, and standalone stores.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Brand Fashion Retail and Brand Management

NAICS

Clothing, Clothing Accessories, Shoe, and Jewelry Retailers (458), Clothing and Clothing Accessories Retailers (45811), Shoe Retailers (45821)

SIC

Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600), Retail-Shoe Stores (5661)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury & Designer Apparel Retail (CRAAABAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Premium & Contemporary Apparel Brands (CRAAAAAB), Casual & Lifestyle Footwear Retail (CRAAADAB)

Keywords

• Fashion brand management
• Multi-brand retail
• Apparel distribution
• Luxury fashion licensing
• Fashion e-commerce

Headquarters

HQ city

Seoul

HQ country

South Korea

HQ region

Asia

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Owned Brand Sales: Samsung C&T Fashion Group generates revenue through its portfolio of owned Korean brands including 8seconds, KUHO, Beanpole, LEBEIGE, and others, sold through department stores, standalone stores, and SSF SHOP e-commerce platform.
2. International Brand Distribution & Licensing: The company distributes and licenses international fashion brands (LEMAIRE, GANNI, JACQUEMUS, ISSEY MIYAKE, BALMAIN, Theory, TORY BURCH, COMME DES GARCONS, ALAÏA, and many others) in the Korean market, earning commissions or licensing fees.
3. FitFlop Distribution: Distribution partnership with British premium footwear brand FitFlop, signed in September 2024, involving shop-in-shop locations across major Korean department stores and standalone concept stores. Samsung C&T serves as the exclusive Korean distributor.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Samsung C&T Fashion Group is a multi-brand fashion retailer and distributor that designs, sells, and licenses apparel and lifestyle products in Korea and select global markets. It operates more than 40 owned fashion brands across men's, women's, casual, kids, golf, and lifestyle categories, while serving as the exclusive Korean distributor and operator for over 20 international labels including LEMAIRE, GANNI, JACQUEMUS, ISSEY MIYAKE, BALMAIN, Theory, TORY BURCH, COMME DES GARCONS, and fitflop. Products reach consumers through the SSF SHOP e-commerce platform, department store concessions, standalone brand stores, lifestyle edit shops, and international offices.

Product overview

Samsung C&T Fashion Group is a comprehensive fashion retailer and brand operator with a multi-brand portfolio architecture. The company operates owned fashion brands (GALAXY, BEANPOLE, KUHO, 8seconds, BEAKER, HEARTIST) across men's, women's, children's, and lifestyle categories, distributes imported international luxury and contemporary brands (LEMAIRE, GANNI, JACQUEMUS, BALMAIN, ISSEY MIYAKE lines, fitflop, and others), runs SSF SHOP as its e-commerce platform, and maintains physical retail through department store locations and standalone stores. The company also operates CSR initiatives including the universal design brand HEARTIST, the HEART FOR EYE vision charity, and the SFDF designer support fund.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• 8seconds: Casualwear brand targeting young consumers, known for K-Pop collaborations and streetwear.
• BEANPOLE
• GALAXY
• GALAXY LIFESTYLE
• KUHO
• KUHO plus
• LEBEIGE
• The Aperture
• anggae
• JUUN.J
• ROGATIS
• SHIFT.G
• SAND SOUND
• BEAKER
• ZIP739
• 10 CORSO COMO SEOUL
• HEARTIST
• LEMAIRE
• GANNI
• JACQUEMUS
• ami
• Maison Kitsune
• Theory
• SUITSUPPLY
• TORY BURCH
• COMME DES GARCONS
• ALAÏA
• SANDRO
• maje
• FURSAC
• CLAUDIE
• ISSEY MIYAKE
• PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE
• HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE
• BAO BAO ISSEY MIYAKE
• me ISSEY MIYAKE
• SLOWEAR
• ALICE + OLIVIA
• BALMAIN
• rag & bone
• Scholl
• fitflop
• Studio Nicholson

Products and services

• SSF SHOP E-commerce Platform Samsung C&T Fashion Group's proprietary online shopping platform (ssfshop.com) offering all owned and distributed fashion brands for direct online purchase by Korean consumers, serving as the primary digital retail channel integrating owned brands, international brand collections, and AI-powered recommendations.
• 8seconds (8 seconds) Casual fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group targeting young Korean consumers with trend-driven streetwear, basic apparel, and K-Pop collaborations. Noted for its SS26 menswear collection with gender-fluid styles and S.W. Smiley® collaboration, and its K-Pop Demon Hunters character-themed apparel collaboration with Netflix.
• BEANPOLE Heritage Korean fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group offering classic British-inspired menswear, womenswear, kids' wear, accessories, and golf apparel. Distributed in Korea and China through the Shanghai subsidiary.
• GALAXY (with GALAXY LIFESTYLE) Men's fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group launched in 1983, offering contemporary menswear with a lifestyle extension (GALAXY LIFESTYLE) for casual apparel.
• KUHO (with KUHO plus) Women's fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group known for refined and sophisticated design, with the KUHO plus extended-size line targeting millennial women launched in September 2019.
• LEBEIGE Women's fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group offering elegant and timeless styles.
• JUUN.J Premium menswear brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group known for avant-garde and innovative design aesthetics.
• ROGATIS
• SHIFT.G Men's fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group for Generation Z, launched in August 2022, offering contemporary streetwear-inspired designs.
• SAND SOUND Z-generation casual lifestyle brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group launched in October 2022, offering relaxed and comfortable apparel.
• The Aperture Women's fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group launched in January 2023, offering contemporary designs.
• anggae Women's fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group launched in 2024, focusing on contemporary Korean design.
• BEAKER Lifestyle multi-brand retail concept and brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group offering curated fashion and lifestyle products, including international collaborations such as the 2026 Balansa sports-inspired collection.
• 10 CORSO COMO SEOUL Luxury lifestyle retail concept operated by Samsung C&T Fashion Group in Seoul, offering curated fashion, design, and lifestyle products.
• HEARTIST Universal design fashion brand owned by Samsung C&T Fashion Group launched in April 2019, applying adaptive designs for people with disabilities, especially wheelchair users, representing the company's Fashion for All Abilities commitment.
• LEMAIRE Distribution and Global Wholesale Exclusive Korean distribution and global wholesale operations for French luxury fashion brand LEMAIRE, co-founded by Christophe Lemaire and Sarah-Linh Tran, managed through the Milan office since 2022 with over €100 million in 2024 sales.
• fitflop Korean Distribution Exclusive Korean distribution of British premium footwear brand fitflop under a strategic partnership signed September 2024, including 22 premium shop-in-shop locations across major Korean department stores and a standalone concept store at Starfield Suwon Mall, with plans for 30 standalone stores nationwide in 2026.
• ISSEY MIYAKE Brand Portfolio Distribution Korean distribution of Japanese innovative fashion brand ISSEY MIYAKE and its sub-lines PLEATS PLEASE ISSEY MIYAKE, HOMME PLISSÉ ISSEY MIYAKE, BAO BAO ISSEY MIYAKE, and me ISSEY MIYAKE, including pop-up stores such as the BAO BAO 'Miniature' launch at Lotte Department Store main branch in 2026.
• BALMAIN Korean Distribution
• International Designer Brand Portfolio Distribution

Quantifiable outcome

• 20% product order volume increase and 13% conversion rate improvement after deploying AI-based product description summaries across Samsung C&T Fashion Group's global retail brands
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• S.W. Smiley®minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Samsung C&T Fashion Group's casual brand 8seconds collaborated with S.W. Smiley® for its SS26 menswear collection, adding a distinctive streetwear element. The collaboration incorporated S.W. Smiley's iconic branding into 8seconds' gender-fluid and streetwear-focused designs, reinforcing 8seconds' positioning as a K-fashion brand bridging pop culture and streetwear.
• Netflix (K-Pop Demon Hunters)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 7 November 2025Samsung C&T Fashion Group's casualwear brand 8seconds launched a collaboration with Netflix's global hit K-Pop Demon Hunters, releasing character-themed apparel and accessories inspired by the film's idol groups 'Huntrix' and 'Saja Boys'. 8seconds opened a themed pop-up store at Stage35 in Seoul's Seongsu district (November 7-19, 2025) offering fans an immersive experience recreating iconic scenes from the animated film. The collaboration reinforces 8seconds' positioning as a K-fashion brand bridging pop culture, animation, and streetwear.
• FitFlopcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 September 2025Samsung C&T Fashion Group signed a distribution deal with British premium footwear brand FitFlop in September 2025. Samsung C&T manages FitFlop's Korean market expansion, establishing 22 premium shop-in-shop locations across major department stores and opening its first standalone concept store at Starfield Suwon Mall in Gyeonggi Province. Plans include expansion to 30 standalone stores nationwide in 2026. Korea has emerged as a key growth market for FitFlop globally.
• International Fashion Brands Portfolio (LEMAIRE, GANNI, JACQUEMUS, ISSEY MIYAKE, BALMAIN, Theory, TORY BURCH, COMME DES GARCONS, ALAÏA, SANDRO, maj, FURSAC, CLAUDIE, SLOWEAR, ALICE + OLIVIA, rag & bone, Studio Nicholson, AMI, Maison Kitsune, SUITSUPPLY, Scholl)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamsung C&T Fashion Group serves as the exclusive or primary distributor and operator of numerous international fashion brands in the Korean market. Brands include LEMAIRE (operated via Milan office since 2022), GANNI, JACQUEMUS, ISSEY MIYAKE and its sub-lines (PLEATS PLEASE, HOMME PLISSÉ, BAO BAO, me ISSEY MIYAKE), BALMAIN, Theory, TORY BURCH, COMME DES GARCONS, ALAÏA, SANDRO, maj, FURSAC, CLAUDIE, SLOWEAR, ALICE + OLIVIA, rag & bone, Studio Nicholson, AMI, Maison Kitsune, SUITSUPPLY, and Scholl.
• Musinsa / 29CM Platform EcosystemminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSamsung C&T Fashion Group's brands are sold through leading Korean fashion platforms including Musinsa-operated 29CM and W Concept. 29CM recorded 1.3 trillion won in annual transactions in 2023, up from 275 billion won in 2021, making it a major digital distribution channel for Samsung C&T's fashion brands.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves15 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Emerging players

• Musinsa: Korea's largest fashion platform, operating 29CM (₩1.3T 2023 transactions) and serving as a major online distribution channel where Samsung C&T's brands are sold. Emerging platform-based competitor reshaping Korean fashion retail.
• W Concept: Shinsegae-owned premium online fashion platform in Korea distributing many of the same international brands that Samsung C&T Fashion Group operates. Adjacent competitor for premium/luxury brand distribution online.

Direct peers

• Shinsegae International: Korean fashion conglomerate that distributes and operates international apparel, beauty, and lifestyle brands in Korea. Direct peer to Samsung C&T Fashion Group: same channel mix (department stores, standalone, duty-free), same multi-brand distributor model, and cited alongside Samsung C&T as a top Korean fashion player rebounding in recent quarters.
• Handsome Corp: Korean apparel company distributing premium international brands (including several in Samsung C&T's portfolio) and operating owned brands in Korea. Direct competitor in the international brand distribution and department store concession channels.
• LF Corp: Korean fashion conglomerate operating owned brands (HAZZYS, TNGT) and distributing international brands in Korea. Direct peer to Samsung C&T Fashion Group with comparable multi-brand retail, department store concessions, and domestic/international brand portfolio strategy.
• FnC Kolon Corp: Korean fashion conglomerate operating owned brands (KOLON Sport, System Homme) and distributing international brands. Direct peer cited alongside Samsung C&T among Korea's leading fashion companies posting strong Q1 results.
• E-Land Group: Korean retail and fashion group operating multi-brand apparel businesses (SPAO, MIXXO, WHO.A.U) and distributing brands. Comparable to Samsung C&T in operating both owned Korean brands and imported labels across department store and standalone channels.

Broad incumbents

• Lotte Department Store: Major Korean department store that hosts Samsung C&T's brand concessions (e.g., BAO BAO Issey Miyake pop-up) and competes in the same retail real estate. Overlaps with Samsung C&T in premium fashion retail space.
• Hyundai Department Store: Korean department store chain that hosts Samsung C&T's shop-in-shop concessions and also operates its own private apparel brands and exclusive brand partnerships. Overlaps with Samsung C&T as both a host channel and a competing brand operator.
• H&M Group: Global fast-fashion retailer with a major Korean store and e-commerce footprint. Overlaps with Samsung C&T Fashion Group in mid-market apparel and competes for the same Korean fashion consumer wallet share.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ssfshoptv
• Facebookfacebook.com/samsungfashion
• Instagraminstagram.com/ssf_shop_official

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Samsung C&T Fashion Group