As the weather cools, the demand for transitional fashion is rising, making suede a key material this fall. Its unique softness and rich colors complement autumn clothing, and recently, its popularity has expanded beyond outerwear to include loafers and boots. Fashion companies are also increasingly broadening their product lines featuring suede.
According to the fashion industry on September 26, the search volume for 'men's suede jackets' on LF Mall, operated by lifestyle company LF, nearly doubled compared to the same period last year during a ten-day period starting August 17. This indicates a significant uptick in demand for suede outerwear as fall approaches.
Suede is made by removing the outer layer of leather and processing the inner side to enhance its soft texture. In South Korea, it is also known as 'seumu.' It is characterized by deep colors typically used in fall, such as brown, camel, and beige. Its texture maximizes warmth and seasonal appeal, making it widely used in clothing and footwear every fall and winter.
The fashion industry is accelerating the release of related products. New fall items featuring suede are increasing across both men's and women's fashion. LF's New York contemporary brand, Jill Stuart New York Men, showcased leather outerwear made from suede, goat leather, and lambskin in its fall/winter collection. The same leather materials are processed differently to highlight unique characteristics, such as soft textures, subtle shine, and a naturally faded appearance.
Sejung Group's contemporary business casual brand, Tremolo, is targeting fall men's outerwear demand with its best-selling 'suede jumper.' This year, it has changed the traditional collar to a stand collar and offers it in four colors: brick, beige, dark green, and navy. The use of lightweight, easy-care synthetic suede enhances its versatility for transitional wear. It can be paired with slacks for a polished business casual look or styled with denim for a more relaxed outfit.
Andz, a men's fashion brand under Shinsung Tongsang, has centered its casual line this season around textured materials like suede, corduroy, and chenille. The unique textures and atmospheres of these materials allow for versatile layering and standalone wear. The women's brand Le Septembre from Hago House has also introduced suede jackets and wool coats as key outerwear for fall and winter, emphasizing seasonal appeal through color, design, and material texture.
This year, the demand for suede is notable not only in clothing but also in footwear. An analysis of sales data from Zigzag, a style commerce platform operated by Kakao Style, revealed that the search volume for 'suede loafers' surged by 2,766% from July 23 to August 12. The transaction amount also increased by approximately 2,715%, with both search volume and transaction amount rising about 28 times.
Suede boots also saw a 1,111% increase in search volume and a 1,461% rise in transaction amount during the same period. The demand for suede, which was primarily seen in outerwear and skirts, has now expanded to footwear. Industry experts attribute this trend to significant temperature fluctuations, with daytime highs exceeding the upper 20s Celsius, leading consumers to seek lighter footwear options over heavier fall clothing.
A fashion industry representative stated, 'Suede has a distinct seasonal quality due to its soft texture and rich colors. This year, we are seeing increased demand for related products across various categories, including clothing and footwear.'
* This article has been translated by AI.
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