Fila Korea to Open Keds Stores in 5 Shinsegae Department Store Locations

105-Year-Old Original Sneaker Brand Keds
Expanding Consumer Reach Among 10s and 20s

[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Hye-sun] FILA Korea's American footwear brand Keds announced on the 10th that it will open stores in five Shinsegae Department Store locations within this month.

Keds stated on the 10th that starting with Shinsegae Department Store Gangnam on the 1st, followed by Uijeongbu on the 2nd, Hanam on the 5th, the main store on the 9th, and finally Gwangju on the 16th, it will open stores in a total of five department store locations.

Keds is actively expanding its consumer touchpoints. By sequentially opening stores at representative channels in major metropolitan areas including Seoul, it is making it easier to connect with consumers. Above all, for Keds, which aims for differentiated communication with the younger generation, entering department stores?recently transformed into a ‘new playground’ for this demographic?within a short period after launch holds special significance as it allows the brand to widely showcase its fresh and diverse appeal.

Keds is a sneaker brand founded in the United States in 1916. The brand is known as the originator of sneakers, as its soft and silent rubber soles were called ‘sneakers,’ which became the foundation of today’s sneaker culture.

Last year, FILA Korea secured exclusive licensing rights in Korea and began full-scale domestic operations by opening its first standalone store in January this year. The brand is presenting shoes embodying its original identity, as well as apparel and accessories, to Korean consumers.

Unlike the previous method of distributing and selling products from the U.S. headquarters, FILA Korea, as the world's sole brand licensee, plans and produces independently. The company intends to focus on developing and diversifying products tailored to the preferences and body types of Korean consumers, aiming to reposition Keds as a more attractive and popular brand in the Korean market.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.