LF's Maestro marks 40th anniversary with push into luxury menswear

Maestro, the menswear brand of lifestyle and culture company LF, announced Tuesday that it is pursuing an upmarket repositioning to mark its 40th anniversary. The brand plans to strengthen its high-end line and made-to-measure services while expanding overseas operations with Vietnam as its base.

Maestro was founded in 1986 on the philosophy of creating the finest men's suits. The company established a mass-production suit factory in 1985 and developed its "Forward Pitch" system tailored to the Korean physique in 2004. That same year, the brand cemented its status as a leading menswear label through a suit worn by actor Park Shin-yang in the drama series "Lovers in Paris" and an accompanying advertising campaign.

Marking its 40th anniversary, the brand has adopted "Italian Elegance, Timeless Grace" as its new slogan, with soft tailoring, modern heritage and craftsmanship as its three core values.

Strengthening the high-end line and personalized services is central to the strategy. The brand will increase its use of fabrics from Italy's top textile makers — Loro Piana, Zegna, Colombo and Piacenza — and pursue collaborations with Italian menswear brands. It will also build out Albero, its Italy-made high-end line.

The made-to-measure service, which accounts for about 30 percent of total suit sales, will be divided into three tiers: Su Misura (made-to-measure), Alta Sartoria (bespoke) and Sartoria Italia (Italian order-made).

The brand also plans to broaden the occasions for suit wearing — weddings, parties and awards ceremonies — centered on the newly introduced Roma Suit. It will expand Social Lifewear, its premium leather-focused casual line, and increase the selection of Italian and other imported products at its Club Maestro select stores.

The 40th-anniversary special collection comprises five pieces — suits, jackets and coats — made from premium Italian fabrics. The pieces come in two fits: a Comfort Fit with a natural silhouette and a Roma Fit that emphasizes a structured, masculine look. The collection will be presented in dedicated display zones inside stores from the end of this month.

Overseas, the brand opened its first international store in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, in 2022, and added a third location at Hanoi Center in April. Sales in Vietnam rose about 20 percent last year compared with the previous year. Building on its operational experience there, the brand plans to explore entry into additional overseas markets.

Through Nov. 8, the first 40 customers to bring a suit or jacket bearing one of the brand's three historic logos to a department store location will receive a new shirt. Five donors chosen by lottery will also receive a new jacket. A 40th-anniversary comment event is also running on the brand's official Instagram account.

On Thursday, Maestro held a 40th-anniversary event at Raum East, a select shop in Gangnam-gu, Seoul, inviting about 20 VIP customers. Bae Jae-hun, LF Maestro's team leader, introduced the brand's tailoring heritage, philosophy and new collection. Mickey Kim, a YouTuber with 370,000 subscribers and chief executive of Act2Ventures, led a talk show on "sprezzatura" — the Italian concept of effortless, natural style. Model Kim Seo-won, the brand ambassador for the 40th-anniversary Roma Suit campaign, also took part.

"Maestro's 40 years represent a history of advancing Korean menswear craftsmanship, built together with the customers who have trusted and chosen the brand over that time," said Yoon Jeong-hee, LF Maestro's division head. "Going forward, we will combine the elegant aesthetics of Italian menswear with Korea's refined sensibility and technology to grow into a luxury menswear brand recognized by a new generation and in global markets."