[Courtesy of Musinsa]
Musinsa is an online fashion mall startup unicorn established in 2003. The company first nested in Apgujeong in southern Seoul 10 years ago when the riverside area in the district of Gangnam became Seoul's iconic place for new fashion trends. The online apparel store garnered popularity among young consumers in their 20s and 30s by releasing unique and affordable clothing through collaboration with local fashion designers.
Musinsa said on September 30 that the company chose Seongsu as its new home base because of local characteristics that are heavily influenced by the increased number of fashion showrooms and experimental pop-up stores that are only open for a short period. The company would collaborate with designers and unique brands in the Seongsu area.
Seongsu used to be an old and faded industrial part of Seoul, mainly occupied by small-sized metal and leather workshops in the 90s. The number of craftsmen's stores dwindled in the 2000s when online shopping malls were introduced, leaving the area half-deserted and outdated. Master craftsmen left to find new jobs or other cheap areas.
The area that once bustled with customers visiting handmade shoe stores and vehicle parts shops regained its popularity in the mid-2010s when young craftsmen and fashion designers came to take advantage of low costs. Seongsu now is full of colorful and innovatively decorated stores and a popular spot for young shoppers to enjoy a variety of meals prepared using unique techniques.
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