First Store Opens With Plan For 100 More
DAYTONA BEACH, FL & SEOUL, KOREA (September 1, 2016) - The Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) announced that its first retail store, called LPGA Gallery, opened this week in South Korea in partnership with MK Trend. The store opening is just the start of the LPGA’s ambitious expansion in Korea and the Asia Pacific region. In response to high demand, MK Trend plans to open more than a dozen stores in and around Seoul by September 2016, followed by a target of 100 stores by 2018. The LPGA Gallery will also open in China in two years.
MK Trend created over 300 styles for Fall/Winter 2016, which includes men’s and women’s apparel, as well as accessories. Styles will soon be featured on www.lpgagallery.com and the line includes a fun motif, youthful design, and performance wear.
Korea was selected as the launching market for the new apparel, given its fashion-forward population and the high popularity of golf and the LPGA. The LPGA opened its Asia office in Seoul in 2014 and has held an official LPGA tournament, the LPGA KEB Hana Bank Championship, in Korea for more than 10 years. In 2018, the UL International Crown will also be held in Korea, marking the first time the tournament will be hosted outside the United States. Currently, nine of the Top 20 players in the Rolex Rankings waive the Korean flag.
The LPGA Gallery is the product of a licensing partnership with Seoul-based MK Trend that started in 2015. MK Trend is a leading apparel company boasting a variety of brands, including the National Basketball Association (NBA), TBJ, and Buckaroo. The apparel company has enjoyed a licensing agreement with the NBA since 2011 under which it opened 102 NBA stores in Korea.
Jon Podany, Chief Commercial Officer at the LPGA, highlights the significance of the LPGA Gallery: “We couldn’t be more excited about the launch and the long-term potential of our partnership with MK Trend.”
Podany continues, “We believe we have the right partner in MK Trend and with the LPGA’s popularity in Korea, the timing is right to make a major statement.”
LPGA Director of Licensing and Merchandising, Anne McCarthy said, “The LPGA’s partnership with MK Trend underscores our commitment to the Korean market. We hope this apparel line enhances the fan experience and helps to grow the game of golf in Korea and the Asia Pacific region.”
Michael Kim, MK Trend CEO, said “Combining LPGA’s brand prominence with MK Trend’s expertise in distribution and design, we are confident that we can create one of the most successful golf wear brands in Asia. We fully expect to have the same type of success with the LPGA, as we’ve had with the NBA in which we have 102 stores in Korea since its inception in 2011. We look forward to a successful retail partnership with the LPGA.”
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