MCM’s Sung-Joo Kim on the questions of Chinese luxury consumers

MCM turns 50 this year, marking the anniversary with DJ Khaled: hip-hop, golf bags and basketball shorts in monogrammed leather, all under the house’s “München to Mars” ethos. Sung-Joo Kim has been placing bets like this since 2005, when she bought the worldwide rights to a Munich house that had been broken up and licensed out after its founder’s tax case, then rebuilt it under South Korean ownership. MCM says it now runs over 300 stores in 35 countries. China sits at the center of that arithmetic. Chinese consumers rank among MCM’s most digitally advanced, Kim said, and they no longer respond to brands that speak to them from the outside. Local relevance matters; so does versatility, in a bag expected to work as well on a flight as in the office. Disowned by her chaebol family for marrying a foreigner, Kim had held exclusive distribution rights for MCM in Korea since 1991. In 2005, she acquired the German luxury house outright, taking a 100% stake and its global business.She spoke to Jing Daily about China, collaboration and the next 50 years. Jing Daily: What does MCM’s anniversary milestone mean to you? Sung-Joo Kim: Turning 50 is a very meaningful moment for MCM — a chance to look back on where we came from, and more importantly, to ask where we want to go. MCM was born in Munich in 1976, at a moment when the city stood at the center of a cultural renaissance in music, art, travel and technology. That energy — what I call the zeitgeist — has shaped our DNA ever since, and it’s still the lens through which we read the world today. Our 50th anniversary motto, “From München to Mars,” expresses this journey perfectly. It is not a celebration of the past for its own sake; it is about respecting our heritage while having the courage to imagine the future. For me, the next 50 years should be about freedom, creativity and purpose. I’ve long believed that creativity is new power, and this milestone is really an invitation to prove that again. JD: How has the MCM consumer base evolved since inception? SJK: When MCM began, luxury was largely defined by status and exclusivity — what I call “Old School Luxury.” Today’s consumer is much more global and mobile, and we’ve moved into what I think of as “New School,” or smart luxury. This is where our founding design principle — the Bauhaus belief that form follows function — becomes relevant again. The new generation wants products that fit into their lives, not just decorate them. They travel, move between cities, and live across physical and digital worlds, so this evolution feels very natural to MCM, a house built around movement. Our consumer isn’t simply buying a product to own it. They’re buying something that becomes part of how they live, travel and express themselves — which is really the essence of our credo: Health is new wealth, time is new luxury, and creativity is new power. JD: Your latest collaboration with DJ Khaled and We The Best brings together luxury, music and street culture. Why is he the right partner for MCM in 2026? SJK: Music and culture have always been deeply embedded in MCM’s DNA, and America has played an important role in that story. From the early days, artists — particularly within hip-hop — embraced MCM as a symbol of individuality, success and self-expression, often before the traditional fashion world did. DJ Khaled felt like a very natural partner for this next chapter on a few levels. Beyond his influence in music and culture, what I find powerful about Khaled is the positivity of his world: his dedication to family, creativity and community, combined with this incredibly joyful and unapologetic approach to personal style, and his embrace of all things golf. There is a generosity and optimism to the way he expresses himself that resonates strongly with MCM today. Every era has its own creative pulse — its own Zeitgeist — and Khaled captures the one we are living in right now. The collaboration also allowed us to reconnect with an important part of MCM’s cultural heritage in sport and music while looking forward. It wasn’t simply about putting two names together; it was about bringing Khaled’s spirited world and MCM’s landscape together and creating something that felt authentic to both. JD: MCM has also worked with creatives and brands such as Yinka Ilori, Crocs and Adidas. Is collaboration still important to the company, and why? SJK: Absolutely. Collaboration is one of the ways we continue to evolve without losing our identity — we have a long history of inviting creative minds into the house. I believe brands must remain open to different perspectives; working with artists, designers, musicians and other brands allows us to see MCM through a different lens. But collaboration should never be collaboration for its own sake. It has to carry meaning. For me, it’s part of a larger purpose beyond product — investing in art and culture and giving people platforms for self-expression. Our work with Frieze Seoul is particularly close to my heart; it continues to be an exciting moment for MCM to connect with culture and art in an authentic way. JD: Do collaborations land well in China? Do you have any local partnerships being launched in 2026? SJK: China is an incredibly important market for MCM, and Chinese consumers have always been highly engaged with creativity and innovation — they are among our most digitally advanced consumers. What is changing is that brands need to understand their world rather than simply speak to them from the outside; local relevance matters enormously. We are looking at partnerships that reflect the creative zeitgeist of contemporary China and connect authentically with younger consumers. JD: Chinese consumers have become hugely influential in global luxury. How are their tastes in leather goods changing? SJK: Chinese luxury consumers are sophisticated. There’s a much greater understanding of craftsmanship, design and the story behind a product, alongside a real desire for individuality — they want something that reflects their personality and lifestyle. This is particularly relevant for MCM, because our products are designed around movement and versatility. Today’s consumer wants smart luxury that can move and adapt with them — from work to travel, from day to evening, from one city to another — as well as cross-generational pieces shared within a family. JD: Do you think Chinese luxury consumers look for different things from a leather bag today? SJK: Yes. The meaning of a luxury bag is changing. It still needs craftsmanship and quality, but consumers are increasingly asking: What does this product say about me, and how does it fit into my life? There’s a growing appreciation for functionality and versatility — which, for us, always traces back to our founding Bauhaus principle that form follows function. Luxury cannot simply sit in a wardrobe; it needs to be beautiful, but it also needs to be purposeful. It needs to participate in life. That’s why the MCM Weekender remains an eternal icon — it hints at adventure for the future, but it also signifies the heritage of luxury and a life well lived. JD: MCM has strong roots in Germany but a major presence in Asia. How do you balance the brand’s German identity with its Asian influence? SJK: I don’t see them as opposites. MCM’s German heritage is the foundation; our global and Asian influence is part of the evolution of the house. MCM was born in Munich, and that heritage — rooted in the Bauhaus principle that form follows function — gives us a distinctive point of view. But from the beginning, the brand was connected to travel and to the cultural zeitgeist of its time, where past meets future and East meets West. Asia has played an incredibly important role in MCM’s development, and Asian consumers have helped shape what the brand means today. A strong heritage should be a starting point, not a limitation. JD: You’ve spoken about being the only woman in the room at certain points in your career. In 2026, do you still find yourself in rooms where you have to prove yourself? SJK: There are still moments when women have to work harder to be heard. But I also believe the conversation has changed enormously. When I was younger, I sometimes felt I had to prove that I belonged in the room. Today, I think much more about making sure other women have a seat at the table too — that, to me, is what it means to succeed to serve: using whatever position you’ve earned to open the door a little wider for the next person. JD: What does your personal routine look like in terms of meditation or wellness? How do you stay grounded when traveling and working so much? SJK: My life is very fast-paced, so I’ve learned that being grounded requires intention. I believe deeply in the importance of gratitude — it’s a small discipline, but it changes how you see everything else. This is really what I mean when I say “health is new wealth”: no amount of success means anything if you’ve lost your sense of self along the way. Travel can be hectic, but it can also be a source of inspiration, and I try to remain curious wherever I am. For me, staying well is about remaining active and connected — I thrive working with amazing teams and being surrounded by people who make work feel joyful. JD: You have been very vocal about women’s leadership. What is one piece of advice you wish someone had given you when you were starting out? SJK: I would tell my younger self: do not wait for permission to become who you are. There will always be people who question your ambition or tell you that something is too difficult. You have to learn to trust your own voice and have the courage of your convictions. I also believe deeply in integrity — you should never compromise who you are in order to succeed. In the end, purpose will carry you further than approval ever will. JD: Where do you see MCM’s biggest growth opportunities? SJK: I see enormous opportunity in the intersection of luxury, technology, culture and mobility. We have a strong heritage and a distinctive identity, but we also have an opportunity to speak to a new generation that sees the world differently. Asia remains extremely important, particularly China and South Korea, but our opportunity is global. We want to continue building MCM as a truly international house while deepening our connection with next-generation consumers. MCM has always held a mirror to the zeitgeist and championed the customer’s distinctive personal style — and I believe that instinct will only matter more, because “creativity is new power.” The opportunity is not simply to sell more products. It is to make MCM even more connective and emotionally meaningful. JD: When you look at the next generation of Korean and Asian entrepreneurs, what qualities do you recognize in them that remind you of yourself? SJK: I see incredible ambition, resilience and curiosity. The younger generation is much more globally connected than when I started; they’re comfortable moving between cultures, technologies and ideas, and they’re less afraid of challenging traditional structures. What I recognize most is their willingness to define success on their own terms— to build something with purpose beyond the product itself. That is very important, and it’s exactly the instinct I try to nurture at MCM. JD: As president and chief visionary officer, what is your biggest ambition for MCM over the next three to five years? SJK: My ambition is to prepare MCM for its next 50 years by continuing to define a more meaningful, mobile and creative vision of luxury. I want MCM to remain a house with a strong point of view — rooted in its heritage of craft and travel, yet constantly moving forward. The next generation of consumers will expect more from luxury brands than beautiful products; they will expect purpose. I want MCM to be a cultural bridge: connected to the world, empowering people with the freedom to express themselves, and proving, again and again, that creativity is new power. To me, that is what it means to succeed to serve — to use everything we’ve built not just to grow a business, but to carry something meaningful forward for the generations who come after us. The future should carry the spirit of the past with it: wise and informed, but with spirit and energy. Jing Daily presents C-Suite Visionaries — an exclusive interview series spotlighting the most influential executives at the helm of today’s leading brands in art, fashion, commerce, and culture. Get inside the minds of the decision-makers driving growth, innovation, and cultural relevance at the highest levels.

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MCM’s Sung-Joo Kim on the questions of Chinese luxury consumers

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