Summer slippers sell like hotcakes in midwinter... The new distribution 'landscape' brought by the resumption of overseas travel

Increased Demand for Overseas Travel Boosts Summer Clothing Popularity
Summer Item Sales Rise on Online Shopping Malls
'Hokangseu' Popularization and Off-Season Sale Effects Also Contribute

[Asia Economy Reporter Song Seung-yoon] Kim Seon-ah (34, pseudonym), an office worker living in Seocho-gu, Seoul, recently purchased a sleeveless dress and a swimsuit from an online shopping mall. She is preparing for an overseas trip to Boracay, Philippines, for the first time in four years to enjoy her vacation. Excited about traveling with her friends, Kim looked for resort wear. Although she has summer casual clothes, she wanted to create a different vibe for her vacation, so she bought new clothes. Kim said, "Since it's my first overseas trip in a long time, I bought five new items including summer clothes and swimsuits," adding, "Many people around me are also preparing for overseas trips, so buying summer clothes in winter has become common."

A housewife, Ahn Min-hee (46, pseudonym), living in Seo-gu, Incheon, recently bought several summer clothes for her family. Thanks to the so-called 'off-season sale,' she was able to purchase summer clothing much cheaper than the usual season. Ahn said, "I often buy winter clothes in summer and summer clothes in winter because I can get them at a lower price than usual."

Even on midwinter days when temperatures stay below freezing all day, summer clothes are selling like hotcakes. This is due to the surge in travel demand following the easing of various quarantine measures for the first time this year since the spread of COVID-19, as well as an increase in consumers buying clothes in advance during off-season sales.

According to the industry on the 19th, sales of resort wear such as swimwear, dresses, and slippers on the fashion platform W Concept increased ninefold from last year during the period from the 1st of last month to the 15th of this month. By item, swimwear sales rose 212%, and sales of dresses and short-sleeved clothing increased by 30% and 37%, respectively. On Zigzag, a style commerce platform operated by Kakao Style, sales of flip-flop sandals increased by 722% compared to the same period last year, and sales of sun caps rose by 623%. Additionally, sales of long maxi dresses increased by 219%, and within the swimwear category, beachwear and bikinis saw sales increases of 284% and 226%, respectively.

On the style commerce platform Abley, the search volume for the keyword 'overseas travel' surged about 63 times (6150%) compared to last year during this period. Other frequently searched terms included 'Southeast Asia' (4810%), 'resort' (2415%), and 'ho-cance' (135%). Searches for outfits suitable for vacation spots, rather than specific product categories, also increased significantly, with terms like 'resort look' (4190%), 'vacance look' (1910%), 'beachwear' (315%), and 'swimwear' (135%).

On the comprehensive fashion platform Fashion Plus, sales of swimsuits such as rash guards increased by 76% in November compared to the same period last year, and sales of water play items like goggles, waterproof packs, and flippers rose by 267%. Sunglasses, an essential summer item, also increased by 359%.

In addition to the growing demand for summer products driven by the increase in overseas travel, the rising popularity of off-season sales also plays a role. It is commonly perceived that summer clothes are cheaper in winter, and this is generally true. From the perspective of fashion companies and retailers, selling products at discounted prices before the year ends is advantageous for inventory management. Brands with a lineup focused on summer resort fashion need to emphasize pricing during the low-demand winter season to reduce the concentration of sales throughout the year. In line with this trend, companies are competing to hold summer clothing events during the winter season.

An industry insider said, "The biggest reason for the demand for off-season summer products like swimsuits is the increased preference for overseas travel to escape the winter cold, riding the endemic trend," adding, "Moreover, the popularization of ho-cance, where people can always enjoy water activities even without going abroad, has accelerated this phenomenon."

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