- “Hanbok Overseas Hub Promotion” to be held in Milan and Paris from September 22 to October 6, featuring hanbok brand exhibitions and B2B showrooms

- Five promising hanbok brands selected to support overseas market expansion

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Minister CHAE Hwi-young, MCST), together with the Korea Craft & Design Foundation (President KIM Kyung-bae, KCDF), will hold its first “Hanbok Overseas Hub Promotion” from September 22 (Tuesday) to October 6 (Tuesday) in Milan, Italy, and Paris, France, two of the world’s fashion capitals.

Held as part of the “2026 Traditional Culture Overseas Hub Promotion Project (Hanbok Sector),” the event will introduce Korean hanbok brands that reinterpret the aesthetic elements of traditional hanbok in contemporary ways to the global fashion market and support the development of viable overseas sales channels by connecting them with local buyers. In particular, the event will be held in conjunction with “Milano Fashion Week,” a world-renowned fashion event, to showcase hanbok brands to overseas buyers, media, and fashion industry professionals. Through exhibitions, brand presentations, networking events, and business consultations, the event will present hanbok as a new form of content for the global fashion industry while expanding opportunities for overseas market entry.

Five Promising Hanbok Brands Set Their Sights on the Global Market in Milan

Five promising Korean hanbok brands—LEESLE, MOOROOTS, ONDATA, SHEEN:SEOUL, and HAPPLY—were selected based on a comprehensive assessment of factors including their potential for overseas market entry and product competitiveness. Drawing on their distinctive design identities, the participating brands will present products that reinterpret the traditional aesthetics and elements of hanbok through contemporary materials and design. Through these products, they will showcase the traditional beauty and contemporary appeal of hanbok to global fashion professionals and demonstrate its competitiveness and potential in the global fashion market.

B2B-Focused Programs Linked to “Milano Fashion Week,” from Exhibitions to Business Consultations

Going beyond a simple product exhibition, the event will operate with a business-to-business (B2B) focus to help participating companies establish overseas distribution channels. In Milan (September 22–October 5), each participating brand will have its own exhibition booth to showcase key products and its design direction. Brand presentations will also be held to communicate each brand’s philosophy and concept more effectively, along with networking programs for local fashion and distribution professionals.

In particular, “1:1 Tailored Export Consultations” will be held to support participating companies in developing overseas sales channels. Taking into account each brand’s characteristics and target markets, the organizers will arrange advance meetings with global distributors and professional buyers to create tangible business opportunities, including identifying overseas distribution channels, securing retail placements, and concluding export contracts.

As the event is being held in conjunction with “Milano Fashion Week,” one of the world’s four major fashion weeks, it is expected to provide an opportunity to introduce Korean hanbok brands directly to key players in the global fashion market and highlight the design competitiveness and commercial appeal of hanbok.

From Milan to Paris: Linking Overseas Hubs to Expand Global Market Opportunities

Following the Milan event, a follow-up showroom will be operated at Hôtel Marcel Dassault in Paris, France, from October 1 (Thursday) to 6 (Tuesday). Two brands will be selected from among the Milan participants based on a comprehensive assessment of their performance at the Milan event and their potential for overseas expansion and receive support to participate in the Paris event. By extending business opportunities identified in Milan to Paris, the initiative aims to maintain continuity in efforts to develop overseas sales channels.

The MCST and KCDF plan to use the event as an opportunity to expand exchanges among hanbok brands, overseas buyers and distributors, and media and fashion professionals, thereby laying the groundwork for continued business transactions and collaboration.

JUNG Hyang-mi, Deputy Minister for Culture and Arts Policy at the MCST, stated, “Hanbok is a representative form of K-content that preserves the beauty of Korean tradition while embracing contemporary design, demonstrating new possibilities in the global fashion market.” She added, “We hope this event will help hanbok establish itself as globally competitive fashion content and provide an opportunity for Korean hanbok brands to build lasting business relationships with specialized overseas distribution networks and expand into the global market.”