[Edaily Reporter SHIN MIN JOON ] HandsomeCorporation, a fashion company affiliated with HYUNDAIDEPARTMENTSTORECO.,LTD, is entering the Japanese fashion market with its global collection brand, SYSTEM PARIS. HandsomeCorporation plans to open 10 stores in department stores across major Japanese cities by 2030, starting with Tokyo next year.

HandsomeCorporation announced on the 1st that it has signed an exclusive distribution agreement for SYSTEM PARIS in Japan with the Japanese consortium consisting of Tatsuno and Woollen. SYSTEM PARIS is the official standalone brand launched by HandsomeCorporation from the global collections of SYSTEM and SYSTEM HOMME, which the company has been showcasing at Paris Fashion Week since 2019. SYSTEM PARIS is characterized by bold materials and sophisticated designs aimed at a global consumer base.

Tatsuno, the partner in this agreement, is an importer that introduces European textiles and apparel to Japan. Woollen is a fashion-specialized company that has been operating European premium brands—including the Italian luxury brands Ermano Selvino and Peserico, as well as the cashmere brand Malo—in Japanese department stores.

The Tatsuno-Uurn consortium will open a System Paris store at Hankyu Men’s Tokyo next February. Subsequently, the consortium plans to expand to 10 stores by 2030, focusing on department stores in major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya.

HandsomeCorporation’s strategy is to target Japanese consumers by leveraging the brand recognition System Paris has built in Europe. System Paris has presented its collections at Paris Fashion Week 16 times in a row since 2019. In January of this year, it opened a permanent store at the Paris Haussmann flagship location of the French department store Galerie Lafayette. It also operates a pop-up store at Harrods in London, England.

HandsomeCorporation expects System Paris to elicit a positive response from Japanese consumers—who place a high value on brand recognition—given that the brand has proven its competitiveness in quality and design on the European stage. Using its entry into Japan as a springboard, HandsomeCorporation is also considering expansion into other Asian markets, such as China and Southeast Asia.

Yoon In-soo, Executive Vice President and Head of the Management Support Division at HandsomeCorporation, stated, “We are using our entry into Japan as a springboard for expansion in Asia and a global leap forward, and are currently reviewing entry into China and Southeast Asia,” adding, “We will foster our global wholesale business, centered on Time Paris and System Paris, as a new growth engine.”