8 Korean Brands to Watch at Pitti Uomo 108: Code Korea Highlights

Korea is set to shine at Pitti Uomo.

For its 108th edition, Pitti Immagine, the organizing body of the menswear trade show, has chosen Korea as its guest nation. 

The fair, running from June 17 to 21, will host the Code Korea section promoted by the Korea Creative Content Agency, a government agency under South Korea‘s Ministry of Culture and Tourism. 

The project showcases Korean culture through fashion, featuring eight local brands, including Ajobyajo, Finoacinque, Jagoryu, and Montsenu, which will present their collections and offer a comprehensive insight into Korean style. 

Additionally, Post Archive Faction, a local brand also promoted by the Korea Creative Content Agency, will be one of the three guest designers at the fair. 

This partnership highlights the shared goals of the agency and Pitti Immagine in promoting Korean culture globally and fostering international collaboration in fashion.

Here, WWD highlights the eight Korean brands debuting their spring 2026 collections at the fair. 

Ajobyajo is a brand that expresses Asian subcultures and draws inspiration from streetwear with the mindset of an outsider. The brand, founded by Kim Se-Hyung in 2016, aims to highlight Asian minorities and give them a voice through its collections and images in which different people, not professional models, are portrayed. 

The brand’s collections feature mix-and-match and layered looks in oversized silhouettes, blending different materials and styles such as punk and skater. The line includes a mix of sweatpants, jackets, cargo trousers, and shirts in a palette of gray, beige and black, with touches of yellow, red and white, and bold prints. Ajobyajo’s spring 2026 collection is dubbed “Silent mouths, screaming minds,” embodying the brand’s aesthetic of cultural coexistence. 

Finoacinque is a shoe brand founded by designer Angela Lee and technician Zuun Kim in 2019.  Its name means “up to five” in Italian and refers to the maximum heel height of the shoes, which reaches up to 5 centimeters, prioritizing comfort without compromising on style. 

The collection includes a range of leather shoes, from loafers and monk shoes to flats, all featuring the brand’s signature softly curved square toes. Most of the styles are embellished with big or minimalist bows. Pastel shades dominate the palette, with hues of pink, beige, sky blue and white. 

The brand Jagoryu crafts garments using natural dyeing techniques and artisanal craftsmanship. Its collections feature materials such as cotton silk, linen, leather and suede and, according to the brand’s website, they only use fabrics valuing “effort and naturalness.” Garments are dyed using ingredients such as green and black tea, and are adorned with eco-prints and embroidery. 

The brand’s aesthetic embodies the serenity of nature and the sensibility of Eastern culture. Models showcase the collection by interacting with nature or posing in traditional Korean hanok houses. The color palette features earthy tones such as browns, beiges, blues and whites.

The brand Man.G has rebranded itself as Man.G Studio, marking a new chapter in its journey. The unisex label blends street aesthetics with classic tailoring, all represented in a signature black-based palette. The collections feature oversized jackets, innerwear and refined womenswear pieces — including dresses, shirts, and skirts — infused with the brand’s signature artistic graphic details. 

The new studio iteration of the brand embraces a more sophisticated and artful creativity departing from its past bold color identity.

The Seoul-based ready-to-wear brand Montsenu was founded by Park Jun-beom in 2017, and is named after the combination of two Korean words, meaning “dreaming of a new world.” The philosophy behind the brand is to build a new world where sustainability is enabled through design and technology. Each genderless collection evokes imagined landscapes and abstract experiences, embodying the brand’s motto of “harmony within chaos.”

Montsenu’s signature style is characterized by architectural silhouettes, rich textures, and handcrafted embellishments. Committed to sustainability, the brand builds a circular system into its collections, incorporating upcycled deadstock, recycled materials, and restructured pieces made from deconstructed clothing, promoting conscious consumption.

Okiio Lounge, founded in 2022 by Yun Jun-hyuk, aims to redefine the idea of the lounge through tailored garments and layered details. The brand debuted as one of five designers selected for the official loungewear program at New York Fashion Week in 2023. Its classic and British style is reflected in the collections through soft fabrics, earth tones, and easy silhouettes.

The brand also includes a small selection of fragrances for the home.

Ordinary People was founded in 2011 by Jang Hyeong Cheol.

For the upcoming collection, the founder revisited the language of uniforms, disassembling them and restoring them. “I begin with what’s been forgotten — creased shirts, faded seams, objects once loved and left behind,” said Hyeong Cheol. 

Valoren is a men’s designer label that embodies the concept of “refined deconstruction,” yet includes intricate details. The name Valoren draws from the combination of “valore,” meaning “value” in Italian, and the letter “n,” which is the abbreviation for “and,” symbolizing connection and expansion.

Valoren’s designs are characterized by gender-fluid silhouettes and sharp finishes and textures. The brand explores the relationship between form and function, creating garments that are both aesthetically and technically pleasant. With a focus on precision and craftsmanship, the brand’s designs mix art and fashion.