Koreatown Chic
The Koreatown Galleria is a primary go-to place for one of Southern California’s burgeoning ethnic groups.
Korean-Americans visit the shopping center, on the corner of Olympic Boulevard and Western Avenue in central Los Angeles, to satisfy almost every need, from enjoying a bowl of soon du bu, a spicy tofu soup, to finding a gathering place in a sprawling metropolis.
“I’ll go there for meetings,” said Eddie Kim, a community activist and the director of the 4-29 Center for the nonprofit Korean American Coalition. “Everyone knows where it is, and you can always get whatever food you want. It’s a one-stop shopping center.”
It’s also a place to take the pulse on what Koreans are wearing. Jin Hwang, president of boutique Jakin & Boaz Contemporary Wear, estimates that 20 percent of his clients are tourists from Korea and 80 percent are Korean immigrants and others who live in or around Koreatown.
The tourists come for the bargains. Premium jeans that cost $150 in Los Angeles sometimes cost $300 in Korea, according to Hwang, who grew up in Seoul. Tourist business is becoming more important, he said, noting that he is planning to build an e-commerce business to sell Los Angeles fashions to Korea. “They’re following cutting-edge fashions and pursuing sexy looks,” he said.
A current favorite is low-rise denim by labels such as 7 for All Mankind, Blue Cult, True Religion and Frankie B. Hwang’s summer bestsellers were cotton pants from Los Angeles–based Da-Nang. The label’s silk pants also sold well, retailing for $178.
Also popular are $120 T-shirts by Disney Vintage. These rhinestone- studded tees put a fashionable angle on two of American pop culture’s best-known exports: Mickey and Minnie Mouse.
Trade is a two-way affair, and Korea-based Jambangee Co. Ltd. sells its jeans to the United States in part through its boutique in the Koreatown Galleria.
Jambangee’s jeans tend to be looser and have a higher waistline than some premium American jeans, said Sales Associate Anna Kim from the store, which looked as Americana as the Gap and blasted ’70s rock band Queen from the sound system.
The top-selling women’s denim at Jambangee is a pair of jeans that comes with corduroy running down the seams and a suede belt ($80). The store also offers other Korean items, such as a dusty-pink jean jacket with rabbit fur lapels from FrenChic ($69).
A couple of storefronts down from Jambangee is Barneys, which specializes in designer labels such as Theory, Etro and Hugo Boss. Store owner Mia Kim explained that her store’s styles are pegged to the seasons. Slacks and dress pants are popular with her 25- to 55-year-old women customers through the winter. Denim is strong during the summer.
Pin-striped wool pants by Theory ($230) are among the top sellers, according to Kim. Tops by Etro ($530) have also been hot. “Women are the same,” Kim said. “They’re always looking for something beautiful.”
Ha-Yeon Song, a doctorate student at USC’s Annenberg School for Communications, provided research for this story.
