02/09/2025
As a knowledge -Do you know South pole brand founders are korean?
Let me explain....
Southpole was founded in 1991 by Korean-American brothers David Khym and Kenny Khym under the company Wicked Fashions, Inc., with offices in Fort Lee, New Jersey, and New York City. Their family had immigrated from Incheon, South Korea, to the United States in 1977. In 1981, David opened his first small clothing shop in Brownsville, Brooklyn, with $10,000 in savings and a $5,000 line of credit, later bringing Kenny in to help manage it. Rising rents forced them to relocate the store to Jamaica, Queens, in 1989. By 1991, they established Wicked Fashions to import affordable baggy urban clothing inspired by popular streetwear brands like FUBU. The brand name “Southpole” was chosen as a tribute to South Korean explorers who had reached the South Pole. In 1995, Southpole launched its first official apparel line and quickly gained popularity among youth. By 2001, the brand entered department stores such as JCPenney, reaching a wider mainstream market. In 2002, Southpole won JCPenney’s Men’s Apparel Division Award, followed by awards in 2003 for its Lot29® line featuring Looney Tunes characters and for Southpole Juniors women’s apparel. In 2008, the company introduced new sub-brands such as WhiteTag® and A. Prodigee®. In 2009, they collaborated with professional skateboarder Ryan Sheckler to launch RS by Sheckler. In 2010, the NPD Group ranked Southpole as the No. 5 denim brand in the U.S., behind Levi’s, Wrangler, Lee, and Calvin Klein. In 2011, the brand celebrated its 20th anniversary and was featured in Women’s Wear Daily (WWD). In 2012, Southpole redesigned its logo to reflect a refreshed identity. In 2016, the brand released its Antarctic Expedition Outerwear Collection, marking a new direction in technical outerwear. In 2018, Southpole Originals was relaunched with upgraded fabrics and quality improvements. In 2019 and 2020, the brand collaborated with NASA, Tootsie, and Astro Boy, expanding its pop-culture reach. In 2022, it partnered with Warner Brothers for licensed collections. Finally, in 2024, iApparel Brands, LLC acquired the assets of Southpole, signaling a new chapter for the iconic urban and streetwear label. Today, Southpole remains a recognizable brand that has transitioned from underground streetwear to a mainstream and globally recognized name in fashion.
