Handsome hosted a fashion show in Thailand. /Photo courtesy of Handsome
Handsome debuts in Thailand … “Eyeing the Southeast Asian market”
Handsome announced on the 9th that it presented Systems and Systems Homme at the MCHOICE & MINT AWARD 2025 in Bangkok on the 7th. It was the company’s first runway show held in Southeast Asia instead of Korea or Europe.
The MCHOICE & MINT AWARD is Thailand’s biggest culture-and-fashion event, co-hosted by entertainment company M Choice and Mint Magazine — a top title among Thai Gen Z. The awards drew roughly 2,000 attendees from the global fashion, retail and entertainment worlds.
On the Bangkok runway, Handsome showcased about 100 standout pieces from the Systems and Systems Homme 2025 F/W and 2026 S/S lines — looks the brand had already shown at Paris Fashion Week earlier this year. Given Bangkok’s year-round warmth but heavy use of air-conditioned indoor malls, the brand emphasized fall and winter styles that still fit local lifestyles, while also including short-sleeve tees and lightweight spring/fall outerwear that work well indoors.
Sources say the Bangkok show happened after Thai fashion and retail insiders who attended Handsome’s Systems and Systems Homme presentation at Paris Fashion Week this June asked the brand to bring a local presentation to Thailand.
A company spokesperson said organizers invited Handsome because its clean-but-distinct designs, premium fabrics and three-decade track record in Korea’s premium fashion market match emerging Thai Gen Z trends — making the brand a natural fit for the event.
Handsome plans to use Thailand as a springboard into broader Southeast Asia.
After gauging local reactions, the company will pursue wholesale deals while expanding customer touchpoints through pop-ups and flagship stores in Thailand. It also plans to deepen partnerships by inviting Thai buyers and retail partners to major fashion events at home and to Handsome’s Paris shows and presentations.
The company’s focus on Southeast Asia reflects the region’s strong growth potential. The market is rapidly shifting from midmarket to premium and luxury demand, making it a key target for both Korean and global luxury brands.
Southeast Asia’s population is roughly 700 million — about one-twelfth of the world — and the region is home to about 1 million high-net-worth individuals with assets above $1 million. That figure is projected to climb to about 1.4 million by 2027.
Meanwhile, rising travel from the region to colder destinations in Northeast Asia, North America and Europe is boosting demand for heavy F/W outerwear like padded coats.
“We intend to use Thailand as a strategic base to track local trends and build networks across Southeast Asia,” a Handsome spokesperson said. “We’re preparing for a full-scale push into the region, including developing products tailored to local tastes.”
Meanwhile, Handsome has spent more than a decade building Paris into its global beachhead. The company opened its first Paris store in 2014 and has been the only Korean fashion firm to participate in Paris Fashion Week for seven straight years since 2019. Last month, Handsome ran a TIME Paris pop-up at the landmark Samaritaine department store, and it plans to open a permanent Systems Homme shop early next year at Galeries Lafayette, France’s largest department store chain.
Seulgi Park, Korea Financial News reporter seulgi@fntimes.com
