South Korean Fashion Company ShinWon Corporation (CEO: JJ Park) has unveiled its new R&D Design Center in New York, the heart of global fashion, further advancing its global expansion efforts. This strategic expansion, following the opening of its Guatemala sales office last year, aims to foster deeper connections with global clients and enhance ShinWon’s competitive edge in the evolving fashion landscape.
With face-to-face collaboration regaining importance in the post-pandemic world, the New York R&D Design Center will serve as a key hub for strengthening communication and design partnerships with international buyers. Currently, ShinWon operates seven overseas manufacturing subsidiaries in countries such as Guatemala, Nicaragua, Vietnam, and Indonesia, known for their exceptional knit and sweater production capabilities. ShinWon’s robust manufacturing foundation has enabled long-standing collaborations with leading global brands like Patagonia, Columbia, GAP, Target, and Walmart. Sue Lee, Vice President of ShinWon’s Export R&D Division, stated, “While online collaboration became the norm during the COVID-19 pandemic, the need for physical spaces where designers and brand partners can collaborate in person has grown significantly.” She added, “By positioning the R&D Design Center in New York, we can work closely with local trend researchers, allowing us to efficiently identify and seamlessly integrate the latest market trends.” Lee also noted that in August, more than 80% of the new season design meetings scheduled for Q3 with major buyers were held at the New York location, marking a smooth transition for the center. The New York R&D Design Center is expected to play a key role in real-time communication with buyers, enhancing responsiveness and delivering customized design solutions.
The New York R&D Design Center is set to function as a global design hub, leveraging advanced digital technologies. Buyers will be able to experience virtual showrooms and fabric showcases, replicating the process of reviewing physical samples and enabling immediate feedback. Lee emphasized, “In virtual showrooms built in metaverse-like spaces, we can offer tailored services to clients while implementing sustainable design processes.” Additionally, the fabric, graphic, and style libraries from ShinWon’s Seoul headquarters will be replicated in New York to ensure a consistent design experience. ShinWon is also integrating cutting-edge technologies such as 2D/3D styling and VR stores to enhance its design processes. The company’s 3D virtual showroom enables visualization of garments on virtual mannequins, allowing buyers to simulate real-world wearing effects. Buyers can utilize 360-degree zoom features and experiment with various colors and patterns, simulating a real-store or runway environment to experience the 3D samples from multiple angles.
Moreover, ShinWon is leveraging AI-driven technologies to improve market intelligence and data analysis, assisting buyers in making informed decisions. By analyzing online market sales data, tracking trends, and employing social media analytics, the company delivers comprehensive insights into consumer preferences. These AI-driven tools enable the company to forecast future trends through machine learning, identifying category-specific designs and colors popular with consumers. ShinWon is also investing in generative AI research to further streamline its design processes.
These innovations align with ShinWon’s commitment to Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles. By reducing the time and resources required for design and sample production, the company not only increases efficiency but also contributes to more sustainable design practices.
Lee concluded, “With the New York R&D Design Center, we will solidify trust with our global buyers and further strengthen our competitiveness in the global fashion market.” With these innovations, ShinWon is well-positioned to reinforce its leadership in the global fashion industry.
