Korean Manufacturers to Show at L.A. Market
When the Los Angeles Fashion Market kicks off on March 14, a temporary trade show featuring 25 Korean garment manufacturers will also open its doors for a three-day run in the Exhibition Hall at the California Market Center.
Sponsored by the Los Angeles office of Kotra, the Korean Trade Center, Global Korea Fashion Week L.A. 2008 will highlight Korean companies specializing in contemporary, juniors, young contemporary, casual lifestyle, outerwear and women’s casual apparel and dresses. Kotra will also arrange matchmaking meetings during the first two days of the show to help match Los Angeles companies with Korean factories specializing in their market. Several have production facilities in several countries in Asia, including Korea, China and Indonesia.
“The matchmaking sessions [will serve] to introduce U.S. buyers to Korean companies and to introduce L.A. fashion to Korean manufacturers,” said Kook-Bo Yang, director of Kotra’s Los Angeles office.
Most of the Korean companies participating in Global Korea Fashion Week are large manufacturers with high-volume production capacity, according to Kotra executives. And all are qualified companies who have been invited by Kotra to participate in the event.
Kotra operates about 100 offices around the world. The organization assists Korean companies in all sectors of manufacture, although Kotra’s Los Angeles office focuses on five strategic industries: automotive, entertainment, biotech, information technology and textiles.
“L.A. is the business mecca of global Korean textile business,” said Sang-Chu Kim, director general of Kotra’s Los Angeles office.
—Alison A. Nieder
