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Fashion item Manufacture (Start-up)

ROLE
Founder
Designer
Marketer
YEAR
2015-2017
TYPE
Fashion
Business
Problem
In 2015, amid a sock trend in Korea, a single major corporation monopolized distribution channels, forcing consumers to use less convenient channels like joining cafes to find the socks they desired.
My goal was to create unique socks to introduce diversity in fashion preferences and break into the market as a new player.
Iteration
Manufacturing adult socks in-house proved costly due to production expenses, operating costs, and minimum production quantity restrictions. It became apparent that it would be challenging to increase market share as a player with these cost constraints.
The target users who could afford high-quality socks at a higher price point were identified as parents wanting the best for their children, friends, and more.
As a solution, we pivoted from adult socks to children's socks in our product category.
Learning
Despite changing the target audience, the demand for socks remained low, and it wasn't a market where users were experiencing significant discomfort or growth.
Ultimately, I learned that I needed to focus on identifying pain points for users rather than pursuing a business that aligned with my personal interests.