Magasin Général

A lifestyle brand originating from the general store culture that has long been loved on French country roads and neighborhood alleys. Established in June 2025 by Director Jeon Sang-hyun, formerly of Hermès, this general store proposes a variety of household tools centered on functionality. It creates products that can be cherished for a long time by combining the unhurried attitude of French artisans with the delicate skills of Korean makers. Prioritizing utility and craftsmanship over category, it offers tools whose value deepens as time passes.

Q. You worked at the luxury brand Hermès. I am curious about what inspired you to choose a French neighborhood 'Magasin Général'—a place with a completely opposite atmosphere—as the starting point for your brand.

At Hermès, I learned just how much thought and effort goes into creating a single beautiful product. However, as time went by, I increasingly wanted to personally create a brand that fully captured my experiences and tastes. While living in Paris, the places that held my heart the longest were not glamorous boutiques, but small general stores nestled in neighborhood alleys or country roads. I loved the experience of stopping by to buy necessities, discovering unexpected tastes, exchanging pleasantries with the owners, and naturally blending into the local atmosphere. Rather than remaining confined to the single category of fashion, I wanted to create a brand like a general store where stories collected from life and travels would accumulate neatly. This desire is also the reason why I am expanding my scope from bags to clothing and household goods.

Q. There is a blend of luxury brand craftsmanship and the friendliness of a neighborhood general store. How has your experience at Hermès influenced the way you handle objects now?

What has left the deepest impression on me is my 'attitude toward time.' I have come to believe that good products are not made quickly to chase trends, but are loved for a long time only when they undergo sufficient deliberation and meticulous processes. The entire process—from selecting fabrics and finding and persuading artisans to work with, to carefully building up the background behind the product—must all connect in a single cohesive thread. Magasant Generale operates its brand with this same mindset. Rather than rapidly expanding its product line, I want to create tools that people will continue to reach for even after several years. I believe that products infused with the local region, its people, and the stories within them are the ones that will stay by consumers' side for a long time.

Q. You are diversifying your product range to include not only bags but also clothing and household goods. Do you have a specific standard that binds this wide spectrum together?

The first question I ask myself is, "Is this truly a tool we will keep by our side and use for a long time?" Rather than being a fashion item, it is closer to a tool that accompanies our lives. Although the categories—such as bags, aprons, hats, sauces, and notebooks—are all distinct, they share a clear commonality. Instead of chasing trends, these are items that you naturally reach for as time passes and remain a lasting part of your daily life. I want to create products whose character is perfected and whose value increases as the user's time accumulates.

Even if the tools and working methods are different,

Ultimately, the idea is to 'make one good product properly'

At least in our hearts, we are alike.

Q. You consistently collaborate with artisans from two completely different places, Korea and France. I am curious about the differences in production culture between the two regions and your criteria for identifying people to work with.

I prioritize the person over technical brilliance or reputation. What matters most is how consistently they have maintained their own methods and philosophy, and whether that persistence aligns with my rhythm. French artisans are impressive for their attitude of not rushing the process and valuing the journey, while Korean makers excel in their meticulousness in not missing even the slightest differences and their ability to execute quickly to solve problems. Although our tools and working methods may differ, we ultimately share the same mindset of "let's make one good product properly."

Q. It is interesting to see how very practical ideas are transformed into products, such as T-shirts that reinterpret road signs or chef's aprons .

Nine times out of ten, our products begin on the street or in an alley. Our recently launched T-shirt series was also inspired by worn road signs we passed while driving along French national highways. We took graphics containing ordinary information like distance, direction, and temperature and reinterpreted them through Magasant Generale's unique story. Aprons casually thrown on by chefs in French kitchens, or vintage leather bags bearing the marks of time and wrinkles, also serve as great inspiration. Scenes we pass by indifferently tend to linger in our memories longer than flashy, elaborate places, and those scenes become the starting point for our products.

“When stories from different neighborhoods meet to become a new local landscape— that is what we consider to be the true value of a local.”

Q. When designing the <Edit Debt: Neo Local> pop-up space, what sensations did you hope visitors would take away?

Rather than a sophisticated, well-organized concept store, I wanted it to feel like a small general store in an unfamiliar neighborhood that you stumbled upon by chance while traveling. That is why I arranged bags, clothes, sauce bottles, and notebooks to blend naturally in one space. Instead of browsing through fixed categories, I wanted you to take the pleasure of slowly browsing through the various items and discovering an unexpected taste, thinking, "Oh, what is this?"

Q. What does 'Local' mean according to Magasang Generale?

I believe that brands that merely consume "local" as a word for design or marketing struggle to last long. Only by deeply understanding and respecting the lives, production methods, and culture of the people living in a region can we truly speak of "local." The "local" that Magasant Generale speaks of is not so much a concept of anchoring in a single location, but rather a link connecting the sensibilities gained in France with Korean craftsmanship and the landscapes encountered on various alleys and streets. The meeting of stories from different neighborhoods to form a new local landscape—that is the value of "local" as we see it.

Maker's Pick

Sac Passe-Partout

Magasin Générale’s signature bag, named after a French word meaning "all-rounder" or "suitable for everything." Combining high-density canvas fabric with vegetable leather straps, the bag's craftsmanship has been enhanced to ensure comfortable use for both daily wear and travel. As it is used, the grain of the leather deepens, and the user's time naturally permeates the canvas. It is a representative product that most clearly demonstrates Magasin Générale’s philosophy of creating tools to keep by your side for a long time, rather than consumer goods that chase trends.

COMING SOON!

In the upcoming September, Markan Generale Meet us in person at the pop-up!

September 17-30, 2026, The Hyundai Seoul B1 Event Hall

fin.

𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄𝗲𝗲 Magasin General

Seeum Kim

Edeit Seulgi Lee