ⓒ Lasomme

Now, we’ll take a look at a Korean company bringing about changes in the global economy with some new ideas. The company we’re going to introduce today is Lasomme, a furniture brand that uniquely combines beauty and practicality. Let’s hear from company CEO Kim Jae-gyun. 

I once lived in London because of my job. There, I discovered charming and affordable furniture products that were rarely found in Korea, such as foam mattresses. After I returned to Korea, I managed to find similar products but they were all very expensive. I thought I could find a business opportunity in this area. I decided to create a furniture brand to provide beautiful and practical products that would still be reasonably priced.   

Mr. Kim led an illustrious career. He studied in the French capital of Paris as an exchange student when he attended Seoul National University’s business school. In London, he worked for Bain & Company, one of the top three consulting firms in the world. Later, he created an investment company to invest in venture firms in New York. In 2014, he set up Lasomme. While living in Europe, he paid attention to furniture of practical use. He also saw foreign venture companies reduce retail margins significantly. He had confidence that he would be able to make functional and inexpensive furniture with beautiful designs. His idea was welcomed by some people, including Lee Sang-mi, a consultant who had worked with him at Bain & Company and as a model in San Francisco, as well as a former Google worker in charge of online marketing and a researcher who studied material engineering at Pohang University of Science and Technology. Their careers might be considered rather extraordinary in the furniture industry, but they joined Kim to come up with a unique design system. 

Now, there are some 30 outside designers. At first, I started with some 20 people, including those who had worked with me before. This is how our design system works: Once we decide on a particular concept, like furniture targeting women in their mid-20s with a certain lifestyle, we ask the outside designers if they can design it. We collect finished designs and invite about 50 women in the target group to let them select their favorite design. We rank the designs based on their votes and adopt the most popular one. That’s not the end. To manufacture furniture at a minimal cost, our staff in charge of manufacturing contact factories both here in Korea and overseas. 

No designers work at the company on a regular basis. Lasomme hires designers who can create designs optimized for particular products, since a designer cannot make perfect designs in all areas. That’s how the company produces diverse and creative designs. It also manufactures products in an innovative way by exploring various parts of the world to locate factories with high technical skills and low production costs. The company’s business strategy proved to be successful in the market. 

ⓒ Lasomme

Rather than simply making run-of-the-mill furniture, I wanted to create something original that hadn’t been found before. I call the unique products “home fashion” or “home components.” It was a side table that first drew an enthusiastic response in the market. The legs of the C-shape side table can be put in under the bed or sofa and the tabletop is placed above my body, while I lie down on the bed or sofa. It was Lasomme’s first best-seller. 

Boasting a sophisticated design and functionality, the side table became a best-seller upon its release in the market. The company’s second best-seller was a makeup vanity table. The legs of the dressing table are removable and wheels are installed on the side of the tray so it can be used as a carrier. The storage space inside the tray as well as the legs can be unfolded to become a stand-up dressing table. The mirror attached to the table brightens your makeup. Mr. Kim now talks about another remarkable product, the real ambitious work of the company. 

ⓒ Lasomme

At the time, hybrid foam mattresses were not available in Korea, although they were widespread in the U.S.—even more popular than innerspring-based ones.  Foam mattresses were common in Europe. I liked a Tempur mattress very much. But people who sweat a lot, like me, may find it a little uncomfortable. I wanted to improve this part and make a new mattress that is still as good as Tempur. I did some crazy things, like cutting apart foreign mattresses. In a hybrid foam mattress, four different foam types are laid on top of another. Users feel different, depending on which one was laid in the middle or on top. With different combinations, I conducted consumer tests. But I didn’t like the result. I also tried to insert latex, but I thought it might cause a problem when the mattress is used for more than five years. Due to these various problems, the release was delayed. But in the end, I was able to make what I wanted. 

Lasomme introduced hybrid foam mattresses for the first time in Korea. A hybrid foam mattress combines the merits of different materials. A spring mattress is noisy and does not respond to the contours of your body. A latex mattress feels great but is vulnerable to dust mites and germs because it can’t get decent ventilation. Based on a thorough data analysis and material engineering, Lasomme studied mattresses for a long time in cooperation with universities and industries both inside and outside the nation. Finally, it produced a mattress with durability and antibacterial properties. The new product has a layer of four different materials: natural latex with air holes is placed on top, memory foam offering comfort is the second layer, coconut foam with mold-repellant and antibacterial properties is the third, and hard foam with good insulation is the bottom layer. The result is an ideal mattress that is cool, comfortable and supports the spine along its natural curve. This product receives support from Seoul City, which is carrying out a campaign to help citizens improve the quality of sleep. Mr. Kim talks about future plans of the company, which is creating a new sensation in the furniture industry.

We’ll focus on bedroom furniture products, especially those related to a good night’s sleep. In addition to our best-selling mattresses, we’re developing functional bed and pillow products. We’re also adding variations of dressing tables in order to launch one or two new, low-priced products. That’s what we’re going to do for the next three years, with the main focus placed on sleep solutions. In two to three years, many Koreans will hopefully recognize the Lasomme brand when they see bedroom furniture. That’s our goal. 

Lasomme pursues originality in everything, ranging from designs and manufacturing to distribution. Taking the lead in bringing about innovation in the furniture industry, the company will soon imprint its brand name on the minds of consumers.