Once a Representative Beauty of Korea, Now a CEO

'Mom's SPA' Brand Montemilano CEO Oh Seohee Interview
From French Luxury Clothing Buyer to Creator of 'Easy-to-Wash Printed Clothes'
23 Years in Business, Achieved 50 Billion KRW in Sales
"Dreaming of Being a Businessperson Rich in Humanities and Sensibility... Plans to Expand Senior Business"

Oh Seohee, CEO of Monte Milano. (Photo by Monte Milano)

The domestic clothing market in Korea has long been polarized between luxury brands and SPA (Specialty Store Retailer of Private Label Apparel) brands. SPA brands sell a variety of products at low prices with rapid turnover. Representative brands popular mainly among young people include TopTen, Uniqlo, Zara, and H&M. However, there is a brand more popular than these among the senior demographic. This is Monte Milano, a clothing company often called the "moms' SPA."

Monte Milano was founded in 2001 by CEO Seohee Oh, who was Miss Korea 'Dallas Jean' in 1993. Oh, who majored in Western painting at the University of Oklahoma City, entered the clothing industry for one reason: "I disliked that the paintings I painstakingly created were hung only in the homes of a few capitalists." She introduced herself not as a businesswoman but as a "clothing artist" who wants her creations to be collected in the wardrobes of ordinary people.

Monte Milano’s main target is women in their 40s and 50s. The company produces and sells clothes that pursue stylish designs but place more emphasis on practicality. Since busy moms juggling child-rearing and household chores need easy-to-wash clothes, this practicality is key. Oh realized this before founding Monte Milano while working as a buyer for the French luxury brand Leonard. She said, "Leonard is a world-renowned brand known for its unique floral prints, but as a luxury brand, its clothes were difficult to wash." She added, "The idea to create printed clothes that are easy to wash by hand came to me, and that led to the founding of the company."

When asked about the secret to leading the business for 23 years, Oh said, "I don’t make many promises." She explained, "I don’t tell my employees that I will treat them well once I make a lot of money. I don’t even say things like ‘Let’s play golf sometime’ when meeting with business partners." She continued, "I don’t make empty promises and only make promises I can keep. I think that’s the secret to longevity."

Oh Seohee, CEO of Monte Milano. (Photo by Monte Milano)

There were ups and downs in the business. Due to the recession, all six stores were closed just two years after starting the business in 2003. Temporary department store booths were rented to clear out inventory. At that time, clothes priced at 200,000 won were sold for 20,000 won, and the products sold out quickly. After going through these trials, Oh reset the company’s clothing prices to a reasonable level. The focus on a senior-specialized SPA brand also began around this time. Since then, the business has taken off. Currently, Monte Milano operates stores in over 30 department stores nationwide. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, sales even surpassed 50 billion won.

Monte Milano, which mainly operates offline stores, suffered significant damage during the COVID-19 pandemic. Overseas businesses in the U.S. and China were also discontinued. However, since last year after the pandemic subsided, the company has been exploring sales channels in places like Vietnam and New York. In May, Monte Milano plans to participate in the "Korea Brand Expo" held in Sydney through a small and medium-sized enterprise co-growth program supported by Lotte.

Participants are walking at the senior fashion show hosted by Monte Milano. (Photo by Monte Milano)

In 2018, CEO Oh held a fashion show for seniors at the Starfield Library in COEX Mall, Seoul. Gangnam-gu, which organized the event, initially suggested including some senior models alongside tall, young models in their 20s. However, Oh persuaded Gangnam-gu that ordinary seniors should be the main focus. Ultimately, the event was held with about 70 ordinary seniors and no professional models. Oh recalled the moment with tears.

"About 400 people gathered around the Starfield Library. Moms who were doing laundry and grandmothers who were cooking dressed up stylishly and walked the red carpet, receiving the spotlight for the first time in front of their families. At first, the seniors were awkward walking, but after going on stage a few times, they grew more confident. It was a moment when fear turned into excitement. One family hugged each other and cried loudly after the finale."

Oh said she wants to live as a businesswoman rich in humanities sensibility in the future. As a fashion designer with a background in fine arts rather than fashion, she aspires to do work that helps people rather than just selling pretty clothes. This is why she holds several senior fashion shows every year, even though they do not greatly contribute to sales. After completing a master's degree in painting at Hongik University Graduate School, she plans to pursue a doctoral program in psychology. Oh said, "Like the saying ‘Know thyself,’ I believe a humanities-oriented businessperson is someone who knows themselves and acts accordingly." She added, "I want to engage in various businesses for seniors, not limited to fashion."

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