Denimsandjeans Korea Post Show Report 2026

22 – 23 September 2026 | The Platz, COEX, Seoul, Republic of Korea

First Denim Show In Korea

Denimsandjeans Korea held its inaugural edition on 22 – 23 September 2026 at The Platz, COEX, Seoul, bringing together denim and apparel companies, brands, sourcing professionals, designers, students and industry specialists from Korea and international markets.

The two-day event combined a B2B sourcing exhibition with industry discussions, design presentations, a student denim design competition, a curated trend presentation and a hands-on Korean denim workshop.

The first Korea edition brought together companies and industry participants from Korea, Vietnam, China, Türkiye, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, with the exhibition presenting fabrics, garments and other solutions relevant to the upcoming SS28 and AW27 product directions.

Rather than focusing only on denim as a finished fashion product, the programme looked at the wider relationship between materials, sourcing, design, technology, functionality and changing consumer lifestyles.

VISITOR & BUYER PROFILE

D&J Korea brought together Korean and international professionals involved in sourcing, design, product development, retail and fashion businesses.

The visitor profile included Korean and International fashion brands, retailers, sourcing organisations, buying houses, design teams and industry professionals looking at denim fabrics, garments, washes, finishes, functional materials and related supply-chain solutions.

Selected buyer, brand and sourcing organisations represented among the registered visitors included:

LF Sourcing , Hansae, Shinsung , Tongsang, Shingsae, B.CAVE / LEE Korea, GUESS Korea , E-Land Retail, Kolon F&C , Musinsa , DI Dong-Il, Homeplus, Li & Fung, Mango , Hugo Boss , Bestseller, Edwin , MCM Worldwide and many more brands

The international presence added a sourcing dimension to the event, connecting Korean fashion and sourcing professionals with companies from several major denim and apparel manufacturing markets.

INTERNATIONAL SUPPLY CHAIN REPRESENTATION

The exhibition brought together companies from across Asia and other important denim-producing regions.

Participating companies represented markets including:

The supply-chain representation covered a broad range of product and production capabilities, including denim fabrics, apparel, materials, accessories and manufacturing solutions.

This allowed visitors to review different sourcing options within a single setting and compare developments across markets.

OPENING OF D&J KOREA

The inaugural edition opened on 22 September with Stanley Hwang, CEO & Managing Director of TCE Denim, joining the event as Chief Guest.

The opening marked the beginning of the two-day programme, which brought together the international denim and apparel industry with Korean designers, students, sourcing professionals and fashion industry representatives.

The opening programme was followed by industry sessions examining the changing relationship between denim, performance, design and lifestyle.

INDUSTRY DISCUSSIONS & KNOWLEDGE SESSIONS

The conference programme focused on several questions currently relevant to denim and apparel development.

Activewear vs. Denim: Friends or Foe?

The first panel examined the relationship between denim and activewear, particularly around comfort, movement, functionality and changing consumer expectations.

The discussion featured:

Daniel Ou – Chief Product Officer, 2XU, Australia
Daeun – Founder & Creative Director, 2000Archives & 2000Atelier Kyndof Inc., Korea
Bong-Seok Gwon – CEO, BLR, Korea

The session was moderated by:

Yeo Kim – EVP, Global Head of Design, Li & Fung, Hong Kong.

The discussion considered how ideas traditionally associated with performance clothing are influencing denim design and how denim can respond to changing lifestyles.

Designed for Motion: What Denim Can Learn From the Way We Live

A presentation by Nikita Raman, Senior Designer, BOSS Womenswear, Germany, looked at the relationship between lifestyle and denim design.

The session considered how movement, everyday use and changing ways of living can influence the way denim products are designed, developed and worn.

Denim Decoded: The Art & Science of Fall 2027 Denim

On 23 September, Yeo Kim, EVP, Global Head of Design at Li & Fung, presented a session focused on the creative and technical thinking behind Fall 2027 denim directions.

The presentation connected trend forecasting with design, product development and sourcing considerations.

Who Designs Denim? The Designer or the Data?

The second major panel examined the relationship between data and creative decision-making in denim design.

The panel brought together:

Nikita Raman – Senior Designer, BOSS Womenswear, Germany
Jihyun Park – Chief Designer, Hansae MK / Buckaroo / The B Archive, Korea
Kelvin Wong – Division Manager of Denim, Li & Fung

The session was moderated by Daniel Ou, Chief Product Officer, 2XU.

The discussion considered whether data can help identify future consumer demand and how data-driven insights can work alongside the experience and judgement of designers.

KOREAN DENIM DIY WORKSHOP

The event also included a hands-on workshop led by Korean Denim Master Geon / Denim Tiger.

Inspired by the Korean Chuseok season, participants created their own Denim Chuseok Lucky Bag, drawing from the traditional Korean Bokjumeoni pouch.

The workshop offered visitors a different way to engage with denim, moving from industrial production and sourcing into craft, cultural reference and hands-on making.

The activity was open across both days of the event and provided an informal point of interaction between visitors and the wider denim community.

STUDENT DENIM DESIGN COMPETITION

A central part of the Korea programme was the D&J Korea Student Denim Design Competition, organised in collaboration with KTN News and supported by ATS International.

The competition brought together students from 13 Korean universities:

Seoul National University
Hanyang University
Jeonbuk National University
Chung-Ang University
Hansei University
Hongik University
Sejong University
University of Ulsan
Korea University
Hankuk University of Foreign Studies
Yonsei University
Sookmyung Women’s University
Gyeonggi University of Science & Technology

Theme: Denim in Motion

The theme encouraged students to consider denim beyond its conventional use and explore how the material could respond to movement, comfort, performance, travel and versatility.

The student garments were displayed throughout both days of the exhibition, allowing visitors and industry professionals to view the work alongside commercial denim developments.

The students were guided by Jihyun Park, Chief Product Designer at Hansae MK for Buckaroo and The B Archive.

The judging panel included:

Jihyun Park – Hansae MK / Buckaroo / The B Archive
Daniel Sanchez – Head Designer, Mango, Spain
Nikita Raman – Senior Designer, BOSS Womenswear, Germany

The judging took place on 23 September.

The competition created a direct interaction between students, professional designers and the denim industry, giving emerging designers an opportunity to present their work in an industry exhibition environment.

DENIM TREND & DESIGN PRESENTATION

The D&J Korea Trend Area, “Future Surface: Denim Reimagined,” explored how denim is evolving through new surfaces, construction, functionality and colour. The six directions presented different approaches to the future of denim and were curated by Nikita Raman, Senior Denim Designer at Hugo Boss.

CONCLUSION

The inaugural Denimsandjeans Korea edition brought together three connected areas of the denim industry: sourcing, design and education.

The exhibition provided a meeting point between Korean buyers, brands, designers and sourcing professionals and an international group of denim and apparel companies.

The knowledge programme added a broader industry perspective, with discussions around performance, lifestyle, data, design and future denim directions. At the same time, the Student Denim Design Competition and Korean denim workshop brought students, designers and visitors into the programme through more practical and creative activities.

The first edition therefore combined the commercial purpose of a B2B sourcing exhibition with opportunities for knowledge exchange and design engagement.

For Denimsandjeans, the Seoul edition marked the introduction of the D&J platform to the Korean market and added Korea to its network of international denim industry events across Asia and other key sourcing markets.

UPCOMING SHOW DATES 2027

Egypt : 13-14 January, Intercontinental City Stars, Cairo

India : 28-29 April, The Lalit Ashok, Bangalore

Vietnam, Korea , Japan 2027 will be announced soon