The French fashion brand Marithe + Francois Girbaud has experienced a remarkable comeback through Korean licensing, transforming from bankruptcy to becoming one of Asia's hottest fashion labels. After the original company filed for bankruptcy in 2012, South Korean company Layer acquired the brand's licensing rights in 2019 and successfully rebranded it for a new generation of consumers, particularly young women.
The revival has been so successful that fashionistas across Asian cities are now just as likely to spot the brand's unmistakably French logo as Europeans. This comeback story connects to other Korean fashion brands like Matin Kim and Mardi Mercredi, which have also gained cult followings despite their French-sounding names. Both brands are actually Korean-owned, with "matin" meaning morning in French, and "mardi mercredi" referring to Tuesday and Wednesday.
Marithe + Francois Girbaud originally launched in 1972 as Paris' self-proclaimed first concept store, founded by Marithe Bachellerie and Francois Girbaud. The brand reached its peak in the 1980s and 1990s, becoming a cultural phenomenon in pop culture. In 1983, the designers launched Momento Due, a men's sportswear line, while actress Jennifer Beals from "Flashdance" wore their Maillaparty knitwear line for her French Elle magazine cover shoot.
The brand became legendary for pioneering designer denim and producing elevated workwear pieces worn by major celebrities including Janet Jackson and Michael Jordan. Jordan famously wore a full denim look from the brand for his first pitch at a Chicago White Sox Major League Baseball game in 1993. The label gained significant traction in hip-hop circles, being name-checked by artists like Outkast and The Notorious B.I.G., with their signature Girbaud Shuttle jeans becoming extremely popular during the early 2000s.
However, the brand faced serious challenges during the 2008 financial crisis, compounded by controversy surrounding co-founder Francois Girbaud. At a 2007 New York party celebrating a new denim line launch, Girbaud made disparaging comments about the hip-hop community that had helped make his brand famous. "I'm not the rap people," Girbaud stated at the time. "Sure, we introduced the baggy jeans, we introduced stonewashed and all this stuff in the 60s or 70s. I never target just to be ethnic. It's stupid." Although Girbaud later claimed his comments were misinterpreted, the brand began fading into obscurity, overtaken by competing denim brands like Diesel.
Despite falling out of mainstream favor, Marithe + Francois Girbaud retained a small cult following, including in South Korea. The brand's ownership changed hands multiple times over the years, with many product lines coming and going. International brand licenses were sold off due to mounting financial troubles, allowing other businesses to use the brand's name, trademarks, logos, and intellectual property for their own products or services.
After Layer acquired the South Korean license in 2019, the company quickly rebranded Marithe + Francois Girbaud to appeal to mass-market consumers, especially young women. These efforts proved hugely successful, particularly among visiting tourists, inspiring a regional expansion that saw Layer secure exclusive distribution rights across Asia. The company partnered with Thailand's Jaspal Group and Seoul-based Misto Holdings for mainland China distribution.
Misto Holdings, formerly known as Fila Holdings, manages the sportswear brand Fila and handles licensing and distribution for related brands including Matin Kim, which was acquired by Korean company Hago Haus in 2021, and Mardi Mercredi. Thanks partially to Misto's involvement, all three brands have experienced skyrocketing success throughout Asia, rapidly expanding with new store openings. Korean celebrity endorsements have solidified their cultural influence, with stars including Cha Eun-woo and Blackpink's Jennie sporting their designs.
This brand name "takeover" method represents an established strategy in South Korea. Companies like Samsung, which now distributes French brand Ami across the country, have found similar success through licensing deals. Whether driven by Korean marketing expertise fueled by the country's celebrity culture or purely nostalgia-driven vintage brand revival, Marithe + Francois Girbaud has clearly returned stronger than ever.
The renewed visibility has also benefited the brand's original French operations. In 2023, Marithe + Francois Girbaud's original French headquarters signed a licensing agreement for the United States and Europe with a company called We Care About, quietly rebranding itself in those markets simply as "Girbaud." This has created a somewhat confusing situation where the French Marithe + Francois Girbaud and its Asian operations often promote different products while maintaining entirely separate websites and social media accounts.
Despite the fragmented approach, the brand's revitalization strategy has paid off tremendously. The brand name has gained widespread visibility across multiple markets, and notably, no one involved – not even Girbaud himself – appears to be complaining about the success. The transformation demonstrates how strategic licensing and regional marketing can breathe new life into dormant fashion brands, creating opportunities for growth in unexpected markets.
