Hyundai's Handsome wins exclusive South Korea rights to French luxury running label Satisfy

Handsome, the fashion unit of South Korea’s Hyundai Department Store Group, said on Wednesday, 21 October, that it has signed an exclusive agreement to run retail in Korea for Satisfy, a French high-end running brand, the Seoul Economic Daily reported.

Premium running gear

Satisfy is known for technical fabrics sourced from Europe and Japan and for designs drawn from subcultures such as skateboarding. Its prices are steep: T-shirts cost in the 200,000-won range and running shorts in the 300,000-won range, the paper noted.

The rollout

Handsome will start selling Satisfy in Korea next year with the full line of about 250 items, including running apparel, shoes and accessories, led by the perforated Mothtech T-shirt and the Justice shorts. It plans pop-up stores in Seoul shopping districts popular with younger shoppers in the first half of next year, followed by a flagship store in the second half. Online sales will begin in the second half on its TheHandsome.com mall and the multi-brand shop EQL.

The deal reflects how running has become a fashion category in its own right, with premium labels courting city runners who want performance gear that also works as streetwear.