Marithé François Girbaud Korea: Why It Differs and How to Buy (2026)

The Marithé François Girbaud sold in Korea is designed and run by a Korean company, LAYER, which has held the brand license since 2019. Its logo sweatshirts, caps and denim are a Korean collection, not the French label's own line, which now goes by "Girbaud." You can buy it from abroad through the brand's English USD store, which ships worldwide, through Musinsa Global, or through a purchasing agent.

Here is how the license works, what the Korean line sells, current prices in won, and every way to order it.

Quick facts
Korean operator	LAYER (레이어), Seoul
License	LAYER rebranded the label for Korea in 2019 with the French headquarters; it announced an exclusive Asian license in April 2024
French brand today	Relaunched in late 2023 under the name Girbaud
Korean official store	marithe-official.com (KRW) and en.marithe-official.com (USD)
International shipping from the official store	Yes, flat $50 per order, PayPal only, per the English store's guide
Sweatshirts and hoodies	₩89,000 to ₩178,000 (as of October 2026)
Caps	₩59,000 (as of October 2026)
Women's down jackets	₩269,000 to ₩379,000 (as of October 2026)
Also sold on	Musinsa (Korea) and Musinsa Global

Is Marithé François Girbaud a Korean brand?

Not originally. Marithé François Girbaud is a French brand launched in 1972 by designers Marithé Bachellerie and François Girbaud, and it became known for denim. Its classic signatures include stonewashed jeans, boxy workwear jackets and the M+FG tab on jeans.

The French company declared bankruptcy in 2012, according to Highsnobiety. In 2019, Korean company LAYER partnered with the French headquarters on a full rebranding of the label for South Korea. That Korean version is what you see in Seoul today: oversized sweatshirts and hoodies with the "Classic Logo," washed ball caps, baggy denim and puffer jackets.

So the honest answer is: the brand name and heritage are French, but the clothing sold in Korea is designed, produced and sold by a Korean licensee.

How big is the Korean business?

Big. LAYER's April 2024 press release said the brand's Korean sales reached ₩100 billion in 2023, with 61 offline stores nationwide. Its flagship store, "Villa de Marithé," opened in Hannam-dong, Seoul, in December 2023.

In the same release, LAYER said it had signed an exclusive licensing agreement for Asia, naming Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam as target markets.

Why is the Korean line different from the French brand?

Because two different companies make two different collections.

The Korean line (LAYER). Highsnobiety describes LAYER as producing domestic-exclusive collections and running dozens of stores, and says the Asian offerings bear little resemblance to the original French brand. The Korean range is casual and logo-driven, with cropped and oversized fits and a large women's line.

The French brand (Girbaud). The French label began teasing a comeback on November 21, 2023, and relaunched quietly in late 2023 under the shorter name Girbaud, according to Highsnobiety. It has its own website and its own projects, including a Supreme collaboration in early 2025.

Japan. Itochu announced in October 2024 that it had acquired exclusive import and sales rights for Japan through its Korean branch from LAYER, which Fashionsnap describes as the master licensee since 2019. Itochu named yutori as its sales partner. The earlier Japanese license, held by another company, ended in 2014.

	Korean line (LAYER)	French brand (Girbaud)
Who makes it	LAYER, Seoul	The French company
Name used	MARITHÉ + FRANÇOIS GIRBAUD, often shortened to "Marithé" in Korea	Girbaud
Style	Logo sweatshirts, caps, baggy denim, puffers, underwear, kidswear	Denim and workwear heritage, new collections since the late-2023 relaunch
Where it sells	Korean stores, Korean official mall, Musinsa, Asian partners	The French brand's own channels
Can you buy one from the other?	No, they are separate collections	No

If you saw a "Marithé" sweatshirt on a K-pop idol or in a Seoul street photo, it is the Korean line. Buying from the French brand will not get you that item.

What does Marithé sell in Korea?

The Korean official store has menus for women, men, kids and baby, underwear and sport, plus a denim section sorted by fit: straight, wide, semi-wide, baggy, curved/baggy and boot-cut. There is also an "EXCLUSIVE" (단독상품, dandok sangpum, store-exclusive item) section for items sold only on the official store.

The store also has collection menus named CHA JUNG WON, GO YOUN-JUNG, VERNON and NA YOUNG FAMILY, which group items by campaign.

Sweatshirts and hoodies

This is the core of the brand. The women's sweatshirts and hoodies section alone listed more than 300 items when we checked. Prices as of October 2026, with a 5% discount showing at the time:

Item	Regular price (₩, as of October 2026)
W Ribbon Graphic Sweatshirt (Brushed)	₩89,000
Small Classic Logo Oversized Sweatshirt (Brushed)	₩99,000
W Waffle Henley Neck Sweatshirt	₩99,000
Drawing Logo Sakariba Sweatshirt	₩99,000
Small Classic Logo Oversized Hoodie (Brushed)	₩119,000
Alpes Classic Logo Oversized Hoodie (Brushed)	₩119,000
Small Classic Logo Fleece Anorak	₩129,000
Small Classic Logo Fleece Hoodie Anorak	₩149,000
Marithe x Saint James Bon Bon Elbow Patch Sweatshirt	₩178,000

"Brushed" (기모, gimo) means a fleece-lined inside, which Koreans wear from autumn through winter.

Caps and accessories

Washed denim ball caps are the other signature. In the women's denim accessories section, as of October 2026, almost every cap was ₩59,000, including the store-exclusive Small Classic Logo Washing Cap and the Denim Washing Logo Ball Cap. A Classic Logo Camera Bag was also ₩59,000 and a patchwork logo pouch ₩45,000. Many colors were sold out, so check the page before you order.

Denim shirts

The women's denim tops section listed the Micro Classic Logo Oversized Denim Shirt at ₩139,000 (on sale at ₩111,200 when we checked), the W Crop Denim Shirt at ₩149,000 and the W Denim Half Sleeve Shirt at ₩129,000.

Down jackets

Winter outerwear is a growing part of the line. From the women's down jackets and vests section, as of October 2026:

Item	Regular price (₩, as of October 2026)
W Classic Logo Down Jacket	₩269,000
W Hooded Down Jacket	₩279,000
W Velvet High Neck Down Jacket	₩299,000
Square Quilted High Neck Down Jacket	₩299,000
W Leather Hooded Down Jacket	₩309,000
Cotton Touch High Neck Down Jacket	₩309,000
Low Denier Puffer Hooded Down Jacket	₩319,000
W Hooded Mid Down Jacket	₩359,000
W Hooded Long Down Jacket	₩379,000

Underwear, loungewear and kids

The underwear line uses the same logo on elastic waistbands. Bras were ₩59,000 to ₩69,000 and briefs ₩22,000 to ₩25,000 before a 30% sale when we checked. There is also a kids line for ages 3 to 11 and a baby line for 0 to 24 months.

Can you buy Marithé François Girbaud Korea from overseas?

Yes. Start with the brand's own channels.

Option 1: the official English store

The Korean official store links to an English version, en.marithe-official.com, priced in US dollars. Its shopping guide states:

• Shipping fee: a fixed $50 per order, regardless of the order amount.
• Delivery time: 7 to 14 days.
• Payment: PayPal is the only listed method.
• Duties: the recipient is responsible for any import duties and taxes.
• Refused parcels: if you refuse delivery, the order goes back to Korea and is not re-shipped, and round-trip shipping and customs costs are deducted from the refund.
• Exchanges: the store accepts qualifying returns but not exchanges.

The flat $50 fee is the key number. For one cap, it is a lot. For a big order of sweatshirts, it can be reasonable.

Option 2: Musinsa Global

Marithé François Girbaud has an official brand page on Musinsa Global, alongside its page on the Korean Musinsa site. If you also want other Korean fashion brands, ordering them together on Musinsa Global can be simpler. Our Musinsa guide explains how the global and Korean versions differ.

Option 3: a purchasing agent

A purchasing agent buys from the Korean store or Korean Musinsa on your behalf. This makes sense when:

• you want Korean won prices and Korean sale events, such as the 5% to 30% discounts we saw;
• you want store-exclusive items and are not sure the English store has them;
• you want to combine Marithé with items from other Korean shops in one box;
• you want photos of the item before it leaves Korea.

	Buy direct (official English store)	You buy, we ship (package forwarding)	We buy for you (HaulKorea)
Account	Sign up on the English store	Korean account on the Korean store	None needed
Payment	PayPal	Korean payment method usually needed	PayPal
Price basis	USD prices on the English store	Korean won prices	Korean won prices, one total
Shipping	Flat $50 per order	Forwarder's rate	Included in one quote
Duties	Paid by you on arrival	Paid by you on arrival	Paid by you on arrival, including the US
Photos before shipping	No	Depends	Yes
Combine other Korean stores	No	Yes	Yes

Our guide on purchasing agents vs package forwarding explains the trade-offs in more detail.

How to order Marithé through HaulKorea, step by step

1. Browse the Korean store. Use marithe-official.com or the Korean Musinsa page. Browser translation works fine for product names.
2. Pick color and size. Each color has its own product page. Write down a second choice in case the first sells out.
3. Send us the product link. Include size, color and quantity, plus links from any other Korean stores you want in the same box.
4. Review one total. HaulKorea shows the item, Korean delivery and international shipping together. You pay once with PayPal. If the parcel weighs less than estimated, we refund the shipping difference, with no extra shipping charge later. Import duty and tax are paid separately on arrival.
5. We order in Korea. The Korean store says orders take 1 to 2 business days to prepare, then 2 to 5 business days to deliver after dispatch.
6. Check inspection photos. When the parcel reaches our warehouse, we send photos before anything ships.
7. We ship your box. See how combining orders works if you are adding more stores.

How does Marithé sizing work?

Most sweatshirts and hoodies come in S, M, L and XL. The Alpes Classic Logo Oversized Hoodie, for example, is offered in those four sizes. Many styles are labeled "oversized" or "crop," and women's items start with "W."

Size tables are on each product page under the SIZE tab, in centimeters. Some tips:

1. Oversized means oversized. Korean oversized fits are cut wide on purpose. If you want a regular fit, many people size down, but compare chest width first.
2. Crop styles are short. Check total length, especially on women's sweatshirts and denim shirts.
3. Denim uses fit names. Straight, wide, baggy and boot-cut fits are listed separately. Compare waist and rise with jeans you own.
4. Men's and women's items are separate. Check which menu an item is in before choosing a size.

Our Korean clothing size chart shows how Korean letter sizes compare with US, UK and EU sizes.

Returns and exchanges

Korean official store. Korean e-commerce law gives a 7-day window from receipt for a change of mind. The store's guide lists these fees for customer-reason returns: ₩2,500 for a partial return and ₩5,000 for returning the whole order, with higher amounts for remote islands. Exchanges cost ₩5,000. Returns must be booked first and sent by the store's designated courier, Logen. Items that were altered, stained, washed, or carry smells such as perfume cannot be returned.

English store. Returns are accepted only when they qualify, and exchanges are not offered.

Through an agent. The Korean 7-day window starts when the parcel reaches our warehouse in Korea. That is why the inspection photos matter: a wrong size or color can be flagged while there is still time. After a parcel has left Korea, returning it for a change of mind is usually not worth the international postage. See our guide to returns from Korean stores.

Customs and import tax

United States. Duty-free de minimis treatment for low-value parcels has been suspended since August 29, 2025, so even a single cap can face duty. HaulKorea quotes for the US do not include duty; the recipient pays it to the carrier or postal service on delivery. Our US import duty guide explains the current rules.

Other countries. The recipient pays local VAT, GST and duty, and the courier may add a handling fee. The official English store also leaves duties to the recipient. Check your country's thresholds in our guides, such as shipping from Korea to Germany.

Watch out for fakes and look-alikes

Because the Classic Logo is so recognizable, copies are common on open marketplaces. Two simple checks:

• Buy from the official store, Musinsa, or official department store and street shops.
• Compare the product code. Official items carry codes such as MFG46WHD203BLK on the product page.

Also remember that vintage Girbaud from the 1980s and 1990s, sold on resale sites, is a completely different product from the current Korean line. Our guide to avoiding fake Korean products has more checks. For similar Korean logo sweatshirt brands, see Mardi Mercredi.

FAQ

Is Marithé François Girbaud Korean or French?

The brand is French, founded in 1972. The collection sold in Korea today is made by Korean company LAYER, which rebranded the label for Korea in 2019 and holds its Asian license.

Is Marithé Korea the same as Girbaud?

No. The French brand relaunched in late 2023 as Girbaud with its own collections. The logo sweatshirts, caps and puffers you see in Seoul are LAYER's Korean line and are not sold by the French brand.

Does the Marithé official store ship internationally?

Yes. The English store at en.marithe-official.com charges a flat $50 shipping fee per order and takes PayPal. Delivery is listed as 7 to 14 days, and the recipient pays import duties and taxes.

How much is a Marithé sweatshirt in Korea?

As of October 2026, brushed logo sweatshirts on the Korean store were ₩89,000 to ₩99,000, and logo hoodies were ₩119,000. Collaboration pieces such as the Saint James sweatshirt were ₩178,000.

Can I buy Marithé on Musinsa Global?

Yes. The brand has an official page on Musinsa Global as well as on the Korean Musinsa site. Check the product range on both, since they may not match the official store.

Can I exchange a Marithé item for another size from abroad?

The English store says it does not offer exchanges, only qualifying returns. In Korea, exchanges cost ₩5,000 and must be booked within the return window, which is hard to use from overseas.

Is Marithé sold in Japan?

Yes. Itochu acquired exclusive import and sales rights for Japan in October 2024, with yutori as its sales partner. Japanese buyers should check those local channels first.

Why buy through HaulKorea instead of the official English store?

For one or two items, the official English store may be simplest. HaulKorea helps when you want Korean won prices, Korean sale events, or one box with items from several Korean stores, and when you want inspection photos before shipping.