Fashion Studio: Say Hello to Forever

There is no denying the fact that many of you Makati, Fort and Southerners are about to go crazy with this news.

Yes, indeed, Forever 21 is about to open in SM Makati, Ground Floor right where the teens and cosmetics area used to be. Although there is no exact date as to when this is “big” event should come to pass, I highly suggest that you ready your budgets and your wallets) for that one big urge to “pass by” and simply ‘check it out”.

Truly, I have yet to see the miracle of a girl “passing by” without holding a bag on the way out.

I don’t have to tell you what to expect as I am sure we have all visited either the store itself -may it be here in Manila (SM Megamall) one of its outlets abroad, or through its website. Yes, we've always loved its reasonable prices for its very trendy offerings.

You’d be surprised to hear however, that so few people know of its history. This American brand is actually not so American. So here goes…

“Founded by Do Won (Don) and Jin Sook Chang in 1984, Forever 21 started humbly on the bustling street of Figueroa in Los Angeles as Fashion 21. Having immigrated to the United States just three years before hand from South Korea, the Changs quickly realized a need for affordable clothing that was fresh, modern and trendy.

The first store was only 900 square feet. 20 years later, Forever 21 stores have grown to just under 400 stores (some of which now boast an impressive 24,000 square feet), mostly within malls in the United States, Canada, Dubai and Singapore. Revenue for 2006 was a whopping $1.05 billion and with more than 12,000 employees, Forever 21 continues to grow at a rate of 30 new stores every year.” – The Fashion Slinger

So here are the Forever 2's Around the World…