The best men’s fashion stores in Seoul

Late last year, streetwear concept store Works Out opened in Apgujeong. You might have already noticed its unique steel exterior designed by Andrea Caputo Office, a Milan-based group of architects. The shop imports various streetwear brands, such as Carhartt, Obey, Brixton and more. Luxurious wooden panels decorate the three floors and even if you’re not a fan of street fashion, you’ll be in awe of the design. And of course, if you love streetwear, you won’t want to leave.

While strolling the grey alleys of Apgujeong-dong, if you’ve found green, you’ve reached the Tom Greyhound store. This two-story building is covered in Allegheny spurge, a sturdy shrub which is green all year long, the reason behind Tom Greyhound’s uniquely bright exterior.   Compared to other large concept stores which tend to feature already famous brands, Tom Greyhound prefers lesser well-known brands like Opening Ceremony and Topshop Unique. And this focus is working: Tom Greyhound is wildly popular with young fashion enthusiasts in Seoul.

Well-established and respected in the fashion industry, Ecru is a fashion centric multi-brand shop with a knack for importing the hottest foreign brands. From Swedish favorite Acne Studios to Italian darling MSGM, the shop's collection is packed with variety of emerging brands targeting a youthful crowd. Although Ecru is the central shop, Ecru Plus and Ecru Outlet are also located within the building with more reasonable prices should you wish to bring even more home.

“This is an outlet store of the aforementioned Ecru. The location makes it incredibly accessible. What makes it attractive is that you can buy highquality items at a reasonable price, and if you have a close look at the ‘used’ section, you might be able to buy a rare item at an incredibly low price. (If you look closely enough, of course!)”

Founded by Korean designer Han Tae-min, who studied fashion in Florence, you may wonder why this multi-brand shop is called "San Francisco Market." In fact, on a surface level, the shop may seem like a plain but straightforward American causal menswear brand, but looking closer at the materials, you'll discover an intricate weave of classic Italian design infused with an American spirit. San Francisco Market stocks brands from around the world united by common themes of lasting quality and obsessive attention to design. So if you are an attentive dresser who values clean lines and craftsmanship, this store is a classic favorite.

We happen to know that there are grown men in Seoul who have shed frustrated tears about the options when in comes to shopping for their favorite foreign brands. If this is you, weep no longer: Ohkoos is your new ray of sunshine. They serve as an ambassador of American casual and street apparel infused with a European zest, carrying products from the likes of Tanner Goods and Kaweco, as well as Japanese clothing brand Kapital and traditional apparel from London. With a stylish black brick exterior, the two-story multi-brand boutique is filled with clothes, leather goods, and a whole lot of home accessories to make your apartment shine.

Though msk shop is a boutique that specializes in men’s wear, all genders are welcome in this space. You'll need to take a small clanking lift to go up to the store, but if you're claustrophobic or leery of rickety machinery, you can always take the stairs. Located on the top floor of the building, the shop isn’t spacious, but it’s worth the ride, because they offer an outstanding selection of brands, from new Korean brands like Used Future and Blankof to Maison Kitsune, Bleu de Paname, and many other foreign brands. Attached to the store is a café called Good Night & Good Luck, which is famous for its cherry syrup covered cheese cake.

Kasina is Korea’s largest streetwear concept shop. It first opened in Busan in 1997 as a skateboard core shop, but has now become a company that imports, distributes, and sells various brands including Stussy, HUF, Bratson, and Nude Bones. The store seeks to introduce not only streetwear brands, the also the culture itself.   This is clear from their displays and music. Even if you’re new to street culture, you’ll have fun just looking around. Plus, when surrounded by the hip street fashion of your fellow shopper, you may just feel the sudden impulse to buy a snapback and walk out way cooler than you walked in.

Carhartt, MSGM, Band of Outsiders, and Liful—if these brands perk up your ears, take note: BEAKER is a concept store run by Cheil Industries, offering brands from style hotspots like New York, Paris, London, and, these days, Seoul. On one side of the store, there is a café, bookstore, and stationary shop. A heads up for those of you on the hunt for that special something: Recently, BEAKER has started introducing products created through collaboration with Korean fashion brands that can only be found at this store.

This men's shoe store offers a selection of foreign brands hard to find in Korea, including Edward Green, one of the U.K.'s most highly reputed footwear brands; Alden, maker of shoes from cordovan leather; and Paraboot, the only company to produce the soles of its own shoes. Back in 2008, Unipair introduced the concept of a men's select shoe shop for the first time in Korea. CEO Kang Jae-yeong, space chooses all the brands he sells, based on a comprehensive knowledge of shoe leather and hand-making processes. Since he imports shoes based on their craftsmanship and design in relation to their price, rather than simply hunting down the most expensive brands, you'll find a wide range of prices here. The broad selection stretches from more popular brands for those taking their first steps into the world of handmade footwear to premium products for veteran buyers. Resh, a Japanese specialist shoe repair shop, operates within Unipair. Staffed by employees trained at Resh HQ in Osaka, this is the place you can leave your shoes without worry. Anyone who's ever bemoaned the lack of handmade men's shoes in Korea needs to head here pronto.