South Korean fashion company Kolon Industries FnC has joined hands with China’s electronic commerce (e-commerce) giant JD.com to make inroads into the world’s biggest online and consumer market.

Kolon Industries FnC said on Thursday that it has signed a strategic partnership agreement with Beijing Jingdong Century Trade Co., owner and operator of China’s largest online retailer JD.com, world’s third-largest Internet company by revenue. The agreement comes as JD.com - which accounts for the largest market share in 12 of the 14 product categories in China - has been seeking to strategically expand its fashion business.

Following the agreement, Kolon Industries FnC launched its young character casual brand Lucky Chouette on JD.com. The company judged that Lucky Chouette has a strong brand identity, which can appeal to the Chinese consumers prizing brand individuality. The brand is also popular among Korean celebrities well known in China such as Korean singer and actress and brand model Sulli.

Lucky Chouette, meanwhile, promoted the brand at a four-day fashion pop-up marketing event organized by JD.com in Beijing’s fashion district of Sanlitun earlier this month where local consumers were invited to try on the label.

Lucky Chouette plans to launch about 500 styles including summer clothes in Korea and China at the same time. The brand will regularly upload 50 styles twice every month.

Kolon Industries FnC plans to launch a menswear brand on JD.com later this year and also open an offline Lucky Chouette store.

By Kang Da-young and Lee Eun-joo

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