How Fashion Group Hyungji Plans to Conquer the European Market: Insights from Gem Altan

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Hyungji Fashion Group is sharpening its global ambitions and tapping international partnerships as a new growth engine. The company recently hosted former International Apparel Federation (IAF) president Gem Altan at Hyungji Tower in Songdo International City to map out strategies for entering Europe and tightening sourcing competitiveness. The meeting is being watched as a prime example of Korean fashion houses pushing to establish themselves overseas.

The session brought together Hyungji chairman Choi Byung-oh and key executives along with Altan. Altan studied textile engineering at Nottingham Trent University in the U.K. and went on to run a Turkey-based global apparel manufacturing and sourcing company, building deep industry expertise. As IAF president from 2021 to 2025, he developed an expansive global network and is widely recognized as a leader in textiles and fashion.

They focused on several priorities: a European market-entry strategy, global sourcing partnerships, expanding brand licensing, and boosting competitiveness in sports and golf wear. Altan positioned Turkey as a cost-competitive production hub for European expansion and offered concrete production and marketing support for Hyungji’s brands. He outlined plans to leverage his golf-market networks in Portugal and Spain to help Hyungji’s golfwear label, Castelbajac, enter local markets with coordinated marketing efforts.

The meeting also explored the current European economic slowdown as a chance to acquire attractive licensed brands while valuations are being reassessed. On sourcing, Altan proposed a two-pronged strategy using Turkey and Egypt to build a more resilient supply chain. They discussed localizing brands through collaborations with European designers and considered participation in Preview in Seoul (PIS) in the second half of 2026. On March 20, Hyungji met with affiliate Hyungji I&C to discuss sourcing premium fabrics from Turkish regions, and Altan expressed strong interest in the domestic luxury shirt brand Yejak.

A Hyungji Fashion Group spokesperson said the talks could serve as an important springboard for expanding the global business and strengthening sourcing capabilities across affiliates such as Hyungji Global, Hyungji Elite, and Hyungji I&C. In a fast-changing global fashion landscape, effective supply-chain management and market-tailored strategies are essential for sustainable growth.

Through this collaboration, Hyungji aims to establish a foothold in Europe, broaden its global network, and elevate the profile of K-fashion on the international stage.