South Korean eyewear brand Blue Elephant opened its first US store on August 13 in Beverly Hills, California, a 650-sqm flagship marking its entry into the American market. Founded in Seoul in 2019 by Jinwoo Choi, the brand now operates 36 stores across South Korea, Japan, and the US. The expansion follows a 100 billion won ($70.5 million) investment from private equity firm Affirma Capital at a valuation of about 400 billion won ($281.9 million), which will fund further US and Japan growth. The opening follows a wider push by Korean fashion and beauty labels into Western markets.

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