South Korean eyewear brand Blue Elephant is making its U.S. debut in Beverly Hills, opening a roughly 7,000-square-foot flagship on Thursday at 300 North Beverly Drive.
Founded in Seoul by Jinwoo Choi in 2019, Blue Elephant has built its business around trend-driven sunglasses and optical frames priced below $100. With the Beverly Hills opening, the company will operate 36 stores across South Korea, Japan and the U.S.
The move follows growing demand from American shoppers already encountering the brand abroad.
“More than half of our sales in Seoul and Tokyo come from international visitors,” said Incheol John Yu, chief executive officer of Blue Elephant, in a statement to WWD. “We noticed a significant and consistent demand from Western customers, with Americans making up the largest segment. While we are fully aware of how competitive the U.S. eyewear market is, this organic interest gave us the conviction that there is a genuine demand for Blue Elephant.”
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The U.S. push is being backed by fresh capital. Blue Elephant recently secured 100 billion South Korean won, or about $70 million, from global private equity firm Affirma Capital, valuing the company at about 400 billion won, or $282 million. Yu said the funding will support expansion in the U.S. and Japan, which are the company’s primary growth markets through this year and next.
The Beverly Hills flagship represents Blue Elephant’s second-largest investment, following its 35,000-square-foot “Space Seongsu” location in Seoul. In the U.S., all Blue Elephant frames will retail at either $49.90 or $69.90, looking to position eyewear as a frequently purchased fashion accessory.
“We occupy a sweet spot that hasn’t been fully unlocked in the U.S. market, shifting eyewear from a functional, occasional purchase into an effortless form of daily self-expression,” Yu said of pricing.
The store, housed in a restored 1940s building, will also introduce a 10-model “L.A. Exclusive Collection” and serve as a hub for future events.
Blue Elephant has established its U.S. headquarters and logistics operations in Los Angeles and plans to focus initially on West Coast expansion. The company is also scouting locations on the East Coast and the central U.S., though Yu said the timing will depend on sales, customer satisfaction and brand awareness.
“That said, our long-term commitment to the U.S. market is absolute,” Yu added.
