Convenience store chain GS25 is set to debut an exclusive product line called “Musinsa Standard Express” next month, in collaboration with Musinsa, South Korea’s largest fashion platform. This collection will feature 12 types of clothing, including underwear, socks, T-shirts, pants, jackets, and belts, all displayed in a dedicated Musinsa section within the store.
While it’s not new for convenience stores to sell basic clothing items like underwear, socks, and stockings—often for customers on business trips or unexpected overnight stays—GS25’s move to launch a brand in partnership with a fashion expert and offer “proper clothing” marks a significant departure from the norm.
GS25 is not taking this venture lightly. Japan, known as the “convenience store kingdom,” has seen success with similar initiatives. A standout example is Family Mart’s “Convenience Wear,” which launched in 2021. Designed by fashion designer Hiroichi Ochiai, who has participated in Paris Fashion Week, this collection sources textiles from Itochu Corporation, Family Mart’s parent company.
Starting with items like socks, handkerchiefs, and T-shirts, Convenience Wear now offers over 50 products, including jackets and pants. The collection’s signature items, such as sweatshirts and pants, are priced around 2,990 yen (roughly 26,932 won), making them more affordable than Uniqlo, Japan’s top clothing brand. Family Mart has also launched collaborations with Netflix content and the Yomiuri Giants baseball team.
In 2023, Family Mart’s apparel sales surpassed 10 billion yen (about 964 million won), marking a 30% increase from the previous year. While this figure is modest compared to the company’s total revenue (approximately 3 trillion yen), it is comparable to mid-sized clothing brands. Family Mart’s apparel revenue for 2023 is estimated to have exceeded 100 billion won.
The best-selling items in the Convenience Wear collection are socks, with 22 million pairs sold between 2021 and October 2023. Priced around 4,000 won per pair, these socks have generated an estimated 88 billion won in sales.
The success of Convenience Wear has helped Family Mart transform its business trajectory. From June to November of last year, the store’s sales consistently grew for six months, with an average monthly sales growth rate of 2.2%. In contrast, rival Seven Eleven experienced a decline in store sales for four consecutive months from June to September, with sales growth for October and November barely reaching 0.3%.
Taking things a step further, Family Mart has hired NIGO, the founder of Human Made and artistic director of luxury brand Kenzo, as its new director. NIGO, a designer, DJ, and producer who is also renowned in street culture, has gained global recognition through collaborations with Pharrell Williams, the men’s clothing director at Louis Vuitton. As Family Mart’s director, NIGO will oversee store and product development, as well as marketing campaigns and strategic initiatives for the brand’s future growth.
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