Anton’s no stranger to sharing his advice across the globe, and has now had the privilege of being invited to talk to 50 Korean brands in Seoul.

The audience might have had a tough job following translations to a presentation lasting double its normal length, but if they struggled, they certainly didn’t show it – the laughs came in all the right places. Having said that, Anton certainly has no plans to try his hand at stand-up…

The talk itself was all about best export practice, something that Anton has no end of experience with. This can often start with brand building – to be the best in the game, brands need to tick all the boxes of the ‘success checklist’, such as brand narrative, a strong USP and understanding the importance of image. When you’re ready to take the next steps of market expansion, Anton’s advice is doing your research to be confident enough in your ‘P’s’ – Place, Product, Price and Promotion. Round this off with knowing whether to target agents or distributors, and how to work with them and your brand is good to go…

Visit our previous blog post here: 10 Steps to Consider Before Exporting 

Questions came thick and fast, so much so the session quickly overran - this was followed by private meetings with many brands who were interested in our help to find agents worldwide, and to also discover the expansive variety of design talent and original creative thinking: from stand-alone shoe and handbag design to shrewdly draped dresses and trousers. The innovative use of fabric was immediately noticeable, with a lot of the ideas reflecting traditional Korean styling.

Organised by marketing guru Haseok Lee and his company HARSEST, who are leaders in their field of helping brands gain greater awareness through use of social media and partnerships with influencers.

It was easy to see how lively, friendly and very serious about business Koreans are. Like their cars and technology, Korea is a growing force in the world of fashion. The industry in Seoul moves fast and is incredibly trend-driven, rooted in street culture rather than high-end. The likes of K-pop and K-entertainment help to influence affordable products, tapping into the dominant younger, and more commercial, market. The Korean scene is forever evolving, with its eclectic tastes combining both the modern and the historical. From Anton’s previous experience, Korean design offers many more authentic ideas than presently coming out of Europe or the USA.

We’re looking forward to our next invitation!

Missed out on Anton’s talk? Catch up with this video recap: https://vimeo.com/273820623

Anton Dell Seminar In Seoul from Haseok Lee on Vimeo.

Did you know…?

1)   Korea is one of the world leaders in cosmetics. Their famous snail masks are used regularly (believe it or not!)

2)   Korea is also at the forefront of plastic surgery industry.

3)   Is it almost impossible to sell women’s bikinis in the Korean market –watch this space for our upcoming blog post where we ask why…