“Clothes should be more than just fashion; they should be a part of life.”
Jung Won-gyeong, the CEO of the fashion brand Mokdan, which is responsible for the daily lives of middle-aged women, said this.
Mokdan was inspired by the 'Mokdan (peony),' which often appears in antique art and symbolizes good fortune. After launching the brand in 2013, it started operating an offline store in Samcheong-dong, following locations in Seochon and Yeonnam-dong.
A corner of the Seochon store felt empty, and the phrase 'The Mokdan flower has bloomed' written under the light became famous on social media as a photo zone, leading to the current brand name.
“At first, we targeted women in their 30s and 40s. Now they have become women in their 40s and 50s. We have naturally grown into a brand that takes responsibility for the everyday style of middle-aged women.”
Mokdan's philosophy is clear. It is to embody true beauty in clothing that does not chase rapidly changing trends and remains timeless. Jung noted, “We have a philosophy of not producing 'pretty trash,'” adding, “We want to create clothes that can be worn beautifully for years without looking outdated.”
The reason Mokdan's clothes are special lies in the design carefully considering the body shape of middle-aged women, according to Jung.
He said, “As one ages, fat tends to accumulate in areas like the arms, sides, and thighs, so we create patterns considering those body shapes,” and “It's about more than just increasing the size; we design with extra room above the thighs and hips while keeping the legs slender below the knees.”
Mokdan pursues clothes that are frequently worn over time and can be worn for a long time. This is why we do not skimp on investing in high-quality materials.
Jung said, “We are creating basic items that won’t look out of style even after three years,” explaining that “When we launch new clothes every season, we consider how they can be matched with items from past seasons in our product development, sharing specific styling tips with customers.”
Starting offline, Mokdan is now conducting business 100% online through its own mall and Naver Smart Store.
Initially, a Naver blog was started to help customers in rural areas easily purchase clothes. Information about new colors, materials, textures, wearing videos, and tips on how to match items were provided, allowing customers to purchase through the brand's mall.
As many customers found it difficult to navigate from the blog to the official page, a Smart Store was opened. Naver Shopping Live, which combined all these elements, gave it additional momentum.
Jung noted, “We have even reached first place in real-time rankings on Naver Shopping Live, and our sales have increased nearly tenfold,” adding, “Shopping Live is an attractive live commerce option for small brands that find it difficult to enter home shopping.” Currently, Mokdan is also utilizing YouTube and Instagram as marketing channels.
Jung expressed the ambition to grow Mokdan into a brand that encompasses overall lifestyle beyond clothing.
“I feel limited by just clothes. In the future, I plan to expand into living products such as kitchen items and home fabrics. I want Mokdan to establish itself as a brand that customers can feel more familiar with through various collaborations with corporations that have good stories.”