[News Space=Reporter seungwon lee] HAZZYS, the flagship brand of lifestyle and culture company LF, is entering the Indian market, a country with a population of 1.4 billion.

Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, Hazzys, which is accelerating its global expansion, plans to take a second leap forward by focusing on the Indian fashion market, which is emerging as a new golden market for domestic fashion companies, with a focus on 'high-end casual'.

LF announced on the 27th that it recently signed a strategic export contract for Hazzys with Asian Brands Corp, a local Indian company. Through this contract, LF will open its first Hazzys store in the second half of this year and aims to operate a total of 10 stores within three years. This is the first case of a domestic fashion brand opening a standalone brand store in the Indian market.

Asian Brands Corp is a brand investment firm based in Bengaluru, India. CEO Ajantha Shetty is a business professional with deep understanding and strategic acumen for the Indian market, based on his business experience with global sports brands such as Nike and Lacoste.

LF will open the first Hazzys complex store in a major location in India in cooperation with a local company with a high level of understanding of Indian consumers and diverse sales and distribution know-how. The store will include all categories, including men's, women's, golf, and accessories, and will be a space that encapsulates the brand's identity. The two companies are currently discussing the location and size of the store in detail.

This contract is the result of LF’s evaluation of the potential of the Indian market since three years ago and years of market research. Currently, global brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren, Lacoste, and Tommy Hilfiger are established in the Indian premium casual fashion market, and there is a high demand for classic fashion among the middle class.

Hazzys plans to apply its successful know-how from Asian markets such as China, Taiwan, and Vietnam to the Indian market, with Hazzys' signature 'Iconic' collection, which is characterized by 'high quality' and 'premium design'. The goal is to establish itself as a premium brand on par with global brands such as Polo Ralph Lauren.

According to the 'State of Fashion 2025' report by global consulting group McKinsey, India is attracting attention as a country with strong growth potential in the future fashion market. This year, the growth rate of India's non-luxury market is expected to be 12-17%, far ahead of the US, Europe, and China, and luxury goods are expected to grow by 15-20%. In particular, India's middle-class population is expected to reach 430 million, so it is expected to emerge as a major base in the future fashion market.

Hazzys is establishing sustainable brand value through a premium strategy and is recording high growth rates in overseas markets such as China, Taiwan, and Vietnam. In particular, the 'Iconic' series, which represents Hazzys, showed a steep growth rate, with overseas sales growing 478% in 2023 compared to 2022 and 106% in 2024 compared to 2023.

This figure significantly exceeds the combined domestic and international growth rates of the Iconic Collection (170% in 2023 compared to 2022, 8% in 2024 compared to 2023), demonstrating its expanding influence in the global market.

In addition, continuous development and investment in advanced materials and design have led to solid growth in global sales, with the brand's global total sales in 2024 growing by approximately 15% year-on-year. This is a result reflecting the steady demand for premium quality and design from Asian consumers even amid economic uncertainty.

An LF official said, “As a representative casual brand of Korea, it is a very encouraging achievement that we are continuing to expand our influence on the global stage,” and “We will continue to make full investments so that our first steps in the Indian market, which has great future growth potential, can bear successful fruit within a few years.”

Hazzys is aggressively transplanting its successful DNA from Korea to the global market and pioneering new markets. Since first entering the Chinese market in 2007, it currently operates around 530 stores and is leading the premium casual market. In 2013, it was the first domestic fashion brand to enter the Taiwanese market.

In 2017, the company became the first domestic casual brand to enter the Vietnamese market, thereby elevating the status of K-fashion in the Asian market. Now, it plans to continue its aggressive expansion with the goal of rapid expansion in new global fronts, including the Indian market, and solidify the global position of its domestic brand.