Kodak Apparel, Kirsh gain foothold in Greater China; Sierra Designs eyes Chinese market entry; company targets Asia on back of K-fashion wave

Kodak Apparel's store in Zhangyuan, Shanghai, which opened in May [Highlight Brands]
Kodak Apparel's store in Zhangyuan, Shanghai, which opened in May [Highlight Brands]

Highlight Brands, the company behind clothing labels including Kodak Apparel and Kirsh, said Monday that its cumulative overseas sales from January through May rose 252 percent compared with the same period last year.

Reflecting the momentum, the company raised its full-year overseas sales target by about 34 percent from the figure set at the start of the year. Sales through May have already surpassed 56 percent of the original target — and about 42 percent of the revised, higher goal.

The company attributes the results to an expanding overseas retail network and a more diversified brand portfolio. Kodak Apparel has been rapidly adding sales touchpoints — both permanent stores and pop-up shops — in key commercial districts across major cities in Greater China. Kirsh, meanwhile, has been broadening its presence in prime shopping areas of Tokyo, including Harajuku and Shibuya, as well as in Osaka.

Kodak Apparel tested the market online first, gauging consumer response through local platforms such as Xiaohongshu and Weibo before moving into physical retail. Starting with a Shanghai pop-up in September 2024, the brand opened stores in major Chinese cities including Shanghai and Chengdu last year. This year it has entered Shanghai's Zhangyuan district, Shenzhen's Wanxiang Tiandi and the Venetian in Macao.

Kodak Apparel now operates 13 permanent stores and pop-ups in China. As of late May, the brand had 22 overseas locations in all — 13 in China, four in Macao, two in Japan, and one each in Taiwan, Hong Kong and Australia. In the second half of the year, the brand plans to open new stores in Harbin, Guangzhou, Qingdao and Beijing, bringing its total permanent store count in China to 20. This month, the brand will also launch a pop-up in Thailand, marking its entry into Southeast Asia, with Singapore and Indonesia to follow.

Highlight Brands is also preparing to bring Sierra Designs into China. In the second half of this year, the brand plans to open one or two stores and pop-ups there in partnership with a leading local sports and outdoor specialist. Next year, it intends to roll out the retail network sequentially across Greater China, including Hong Kong and Macao. Earlier this year, Highlight Brands secured trademark rights for Sierra Designs across key Asian markets — Taiwan, China and Hong Kong, in addition to South Korea.

"Global interest in K-fashion is growing rapidly alongside the spread of K-culture," said Lee Jun-kwon, chief executive of Highlight Brands. "We will strengthen our push into Asian markets, drawing on our brand portfolio of Kodak Apparel, Kirsh and Sierra Designs."


spa@heraldcorp.com