Korea Kolmar made an unlikely appearance on the Paris fashion stage. The invitation was all the more striking given that Première Vision Paris, the world's largest fashion and textile materials fair, is traditionally the domain of yarn, fabric and leather companies—not cosmetics manufacturers. Yet Korea Kolmar was the only Korean beauty firm invited to attend, a distinction that encapsulates the company's broader global ambitions.
Colour technology earns a seat at fashion's top table
Korea Kolmar announced on the 4th that it had participated in Première Vision Paris—held from the 1st to the 3rd of this month (local time)—as the first Korean cosmetics company ever invited to the event. The fair brings together over 900 firms across eight specialist pavilions covering textiles, yarns, design, accessories and leather. This year, for the first time, organisers created a dedicated 150-square-metre "Cosmetic Village" to foster collaboration between fashion and beauty. Korea Kolmar went further: in addition to exhibiting within the Cosmetic Village, it secured a standalone booth in the main exhibition hall where seasonal trends are showcased.
The company displayed 27 colours on the walls of its booth under the theme "Where Beauty Meets Fashion," reflecting autumn/winter 2027–28 trend forecasts. Representatives from global fashion and luxury brands visited to mix pigments and try lip products first-hand, putting Korea Kolmar's colour cosmetics technology to the test.
This recognition did not arrive overnight. In April, at Cosmoprof Bologna 2026—the beauty industry's other major international showcase—Korea Kolmar made the final shortlist for the innovation technology award, one of just four finalists from more than 750 entries. It was the second consecutive year the company had been nominated, having won two categories the previous year. One product that drew particular attention was a transdermal delivery system adapted from precision liquid-control technology used in pharmaceuticals: it releases active ingredients rapidly in the first three hours after application, then slowly over up to 72 hours thereafter. The technology is a direct product of Korea Kolmar's long-standing practice of applying pharmaceutical R&D to cosmetic formulation—an approach that is now winning recognition in the European beauty industry as well.
From China to America: a shifting centre of gravity
Korea Kolmar's overseas expansion was built on China. As recently as the first half of 2023, its subsidiaries in Wuxi and Beijing were both posting double-digit revenue growth. But the picture has changed markedly. Slower economic conditions in China and shrinking orders from local clients have stalled growth there, while the American operation has grown rapidly in importance.
In the second quarter of last year, revenue at the US subsidiary reached 18.4bn won (approximately $13m), up 37% year on year from 13.4bn won. Its operating loss narrowed by 86.3%, from 1.3bn won to just 200m won, bringing the business close to profitability. Over the same period, the Chinese subsidiary's revenue slipped 5.2% to 49.9bn won from 52.7bn won, and operating profit fell 8.4%. In terms of revenue mix, the US share of Korea Kolmar's total sales rose from 2% to 2.5%, while China's fell from 8% to 6.8%. The shift in the company's international centre of gravity is unmistakable.
A significant driver of this rebalancing is American trade policy. Under the high-tariff agenda of the second Trump administration, demand for locally manufactured goods—so-called "on-shore" production—has risen sharply across North America. Korea Kolmar responded by opening a second factory in Pennsylvania in June of last year, adding capacity to produce both colour cosmetics and skincare. Several clients are expected to begin full-scale production and distribution from that facility.
Growing pains
The overseas expansion has not been uniformly smooth. Korea Kolmar's domestic Korean operations delivered double-digit growth in both revenue and operating profit in the third quarter. But over the same period, the Chinese subsidiary swung to an operating loss as revenue fell 13.1%, and the US subsidiary saw its revenue halve and also recorded an operating loss. The volatility of results from one quarter to the next underscores how unpredictable the company's international businesses remain.
There is also an internal complication. A succession dispute between Vice-Chairman Yoon Sang-hyun—who has overseen the US business—and his father, Chairman Yoon Dong-han, has escalated into legal proceedings. There are concerns that this governance uncertainty could complicate efforts to win new contracts with large international clients, who typically prize stable management structures. The timing is awkward: securing new customers in the American market is precisely what Korea Kolmar needs most right now.
Despite these headwinds, Korea Kolmar continues to expand its footprint in Europe and North America on the strength of its colour cosmetics and skincare technology. Its invitation to Première Vision Paris can be read as evidence that the company's global strategy—to be recognised not merely as a cosmetics maker but as a materials and technology innovator—is beginning to bear fruit.