Southpole (clothing)
Encyclopedia
Southpole is an American
clothing label based in Fort Lee, New Jersey
. It is owned by David Khym.
n natives from a family of five children who immigrated to the United States from Inchon in 1977. In 1981, David used $10,000 in savings and a $5,000 line of credit to establish a retail clothing store in the Brownsville
section of Brooklyn
. He hired Kenny to work at the store, and in 1989 they relocated to Jamaica, Queens
after their landlord for the Brownsville location raised their rent.
The Khyms had trouble keeping the baggy urban fashions popular at the Jamaica location in stock, so in 1991 they established a wholesale company called Wicked Fashions to import clothes from Pakistan
. David Khym named the new clothing label Southpole in honor of a team of Korean explorers who had recently become the first from that country to reach the South Pole
. Southpole succeeded by providing styles similar to those of other popular urban labels such as FUBU
, but at a much lower cost. In 1996, Kenny left in order to found his own business, Against All Odds
, a chain of mall-based retail stores focusing on hip-hop fashion.
Today, Southpole clothes are imported from manufacturers in Pakistan
, China
, India
, and Vietnam
, then sold through national retailers such as J.C. Penney
and Sears. Southpole generated more than $350 million in sales in 2005.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
clothing label based in Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee, New Jersey
Fort Lee is a borough in Bergen County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough population was 35,345. Located atop the Hudson Palisades, the borough is the western terminus of the George Washington Bridge...
. It is owned by David Khym.
History
The company was founded by brothers David and Kenny Khym, two KoreaKorea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
n natives from a family of five children who immigrated to the United States from Inchon in 1977. In 1981, David used $10,000 in savings and a $5,000 line of credit to establish a retail clothing store in the Brownsville
Brownsville, Brooklyn
Brownsville is a residential neighborhood located in eastern Brooklyn, New York City.The total land area is one square mile, and the ZIP code for the neighborhood is 11212....
section of Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
. He hired Kenny to work at the store, and in 1989 they relocated to Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica, Queens
Jamaica is a neighborhood in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York, United States. It was settled under Dutch rule in 1656 in New Netherland as Rustdorp. Under British rule, the Village of Jamaica became the center of the "Town of Jamaica"...
after their landlord for the Brownsville location raised their rent.
The Khyms had trouble keeping the baggy urban fashions popular at the Jamaica location in stock, so in 1991 they established a wholesale company called Wicked Fashions to import clothes from Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
. David Khym named the new clothing label Southpole in honor of a team of Korean explorers who had recently become the first from that country to reach the South Pole
South Pole
The South Pole, also known as the Geographic South Pole or Terrestrial South Pole, is one of the two points where the Earth's axis of rotation intersects its surface. It is the southernmost point on the surface of the Earth and lies on the opposite side of the Earth from the North Pole...
. Southpole succeeded by providing styles similar to those of other popular urban labels such as FUBU
FUBU
FUBU is a clothing company. It includes casual wear, sports wear, a suit collection, eyewear, belts, and shoes for the African-American community in the sense of economic investment but not to be exclusively worn by African Americans...
, but at a much lower cost. In 1996, Kenny left in order to found his own business, Against All Odds
Against All Odds (retail store)
Against All Odds is a United States retail chain that predominantly sells clothing inspired by hip hop culture. The chain has approximately 70 retail stores in New Jersey, New York, Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut, Texas and California...
, a chain of mall-based retail stores focusing on hip-hop fashion.
Today, Southpole clothes are imported from manufacturers in Pakistan
Pakistan
Pakistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a sovereign state in South Asia. It has a coastline along the Arabian Sea and the Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast. In the north, Tajikistan...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, and Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
, then sold through national retailers such as J.C. Penney
J.C. Penney
J. C. Penney Company, Inc. is a chain of American mid-range department stores based in Plano, Texas, a suburb north of Dallas. The company operates 1,107 department stores in all 50 U.S. states and Puerto Rico. JCPenney also operates catalog sales merchant offices nationwide in many...
and Sears. Southpole generated more than $350 million in sales in 2005.