"Luxury begins with an attitude that values people and tradition. Rather than viewing luxury products merely as high-end fashion extravagance, what matters is an 'attitude' that honors and respects the time and expertise devoted to researching materials, mastering techniques, and pouring in dedication."
This is the luxury philosophy articulated by Park Joo-won, the young CEO of Simone Fashion Company, which has stood at the apex of manufacturing while bringing the visions of global luxury houses to life. The interview took place at the underground workshop of Simone's flagship store "0914," located in front of Dosan Park in Seoul's Gangnam district, an area lined with global luxury brands. Far from a glamorous showroom, Park described the workshop as "our own laboratory." Her current focus is on collaborations with Korean intangible heritage masters. Showing samples that recreated peony flower patterns from traditional Korean paintings in leather, Park said, "As a handbag manufacturer, we experiment with almost everything that can be made with leather."
She believes the time has come for Korean craftsmanship rooted in artisan spirit to take its place in the global luxury market. Her current focus is collaborations with Chae Sang-jang masters, who craft boxes from finely sliced bamboo, and Nak Juk-jang masters of Damyang, who specialize in pyrography on bamboo.
"'Chaesang' boxes made of bamboo and handbags share a commonality as 'vessels for holding things.' I was fascinated not only by the artisans' skill and dedication but also by their use of color, their boldness, and their richness. It resembles French luxury. What began as a connection through making accessories for an emerging designer's Paris Fashion Week piece has grown into an important pillar of Simone."
Park is the eldest daughter of Park Eun-kwan, the founder and chairman of Simone, who built Korea's handbag original design manufacturing (ODM) industry. Founded in 1987, Simone has manufactured handbags for American luxury brands including Marc Jacobs, Michael Kors, Tory Burch, and Coach. Its global market share is approximately 10%, and its U.S. market share reaches 30%. Drawing comparison with foundries in the semiconductor industry, the company is known as "the foundry of the handbag world." Explaining Simone's success, Park said it is "a company that understood designers' artistic sensibilities and designs at a European level and realized them through Asian diligence."
She identified Korean craft as a crucial partner that will help Korean fashion brands establish themselves in the global luxury market. She offered her own analysis linking Korea's competitiveness to the cultural characteristics of three East Asian nations. "If China is about scale, Japan is about detail. China pushes forward with overwhelming scale to the extent of influencing Western architecture and art movements, while Japan has been obsessed with the perfection of completion. Korea has the strength of being able to embrace the merits of both scale and detail in between."
Park studied abroad in the United States after graduating from middle school, majored in business administration, and analyzed the fashion and department store sectors at an investment bank. While preparing for a Ph.D. program in economics at graduate school, she stopped by Korea during summer vacation and ended up staying. This was around 2017, when construction of the headquarters in front of Dosan Park was underway. She designed the flagship store under the concept of "a house within a house," pairing the handbag stores on the first and second floors with a multi-brand concept shop curating about 40 brands collected from Belgium, France, and elsewhere. The location is regarded as a sanctuary for K-pop idol fashion stylists.
The luxury Park defines is not a price tag. "Luxury is the act of helping many people recognize the value of devotion and feel its joy, through an attitude that values people and tradition," she said. She added, "Koreans are particularly skilled in nonverbal communication. As the saying 'straightening one's attire and headwear' suggests, presenting oneself with composure is both a courtesy to others and an expression of one's own state of mind."
Park will participate in a panel discussion on "Craft Artisanship and K-Luxury" at "Pixel & Paint," a special event of "Seoul Forum 2026" to be held at the Yeongbingwan of the Shilla Hotel in Jung-gu, Seoul, on the 28th. She will be joined by curator Cho Hye-young, the Korea commissioner and judge for the Loewe Foundation Craft Prize of the Spanish luxury brand Loewe. Kelly Crow, a journalist formerly with The Washington Post and The New York Times, will moderate the conversation.
