Peter Kim: Be Iconic. Be Bold. Be You ⏤Make Your Mark Moments.
“Be Bold. Be an Icon. Be You” is a concept heavily palpable within the remarkable life of Peter Kim- an iconic fashion designer, bold businessman and remarkable individual. As the Founder and Vice Chairman of Hudson Jeans and most recently Founder of The Golden Circle Group, Peter is determined to share his story and experiences to help awaken, inspire and empower others.
Be ICONIC.
Peter Kim launched his notable premium denim company in 2002 and rocketed to mass acclaim through his undeniable passion to knock down the status quo. Hudson Jeans challenged the oxymoron that denim was low class workwear as the LA born designer created game changing denim pieces that were premium, high-fashion and luxury. Peter believes that fashion is one of the most powerful tools humans have to communicate and express themselves as he states, “Whether you’re into fashion, or not, you’re making a statement”. As for himself, Peter has been able to express to the outside world who he is- a man who found his path to live his life and find his own way- which has made him one of the most iconic designers to date. But his influence extends beyond clothes ⏤Peter recently founded a small organisation in 2017, The Golden Circle Group, with the purpose to build companies filled with culture and real meaning. With his strong beliefs and passion at the core, Peter is dedicated to ensure each company is filled with ideas, creativity, and innovation to promote unity, love, compassion and empathy ⏤attributes he links to his own success.
Peter explains, “For the first half of my life I wanted to change the world. Now, I don’t want to change anybody or anything because I want to create my own world and community of like-minded people”. Peter’s passion to challenge society and be the catalyst for his own success undoubtedly makes him an icon in today’s world.
Be BOLD.
Peter's story starts with his parents as they fled war-bound North Korea with a suitcase full of clothes in hopes to find a better life in Los Angeles. By 1970, Kim’s parents were able to grow their initial investment into a noticeably successful women’s apparel company alongside a number of other investments such as real estate in Los Angeles, Hawaii and Palm Springs. However, as the workplace and fashion trends started to change, the blouse his parents once created was quickly becoming irrelevant in the marketplace. As Peter exited college in 1994 at 23-years-old, he stepped into pure chaos. His parents asked him to save the family business which was near bankruptcy and facing $10 million in debt. Initially, Peter followed the easy path as he played the victim card, telling himself day-in and day-out it wasn’t fair. With his family’s fortune at the palm of his hand, he eventually came to a defining moment in his journey as he recognised he could be a lot worse off. He took the time to reflect on his parents journey as they went from rags to riches, which posed the question, “why can’t you get through this too?”. From this day onward, everything changed. Peter’s perspective shifted from “why me” to “how can I find a way to win and move forward?”. By 1999, Kim had successfully turned things around by embracing the concept of being bold.
Be YOU.
Peter re-defines the meaning behind success, proving it isn’t determined by wealth, intelligence or luck. It is defined by being nothing other than yourself.
Kim had a challenging childhood, to put it mildly. Growing up in a world of superiority, fortune and wealth came at the expense of his happiness. Throughout school Peter was diagnosed with multiple learning disabilities such as ADHD and dyslexia. This caused troubling times throughout his upbringing as he was often patronised by teachers, friends and his parents as he was called “stupid”, an “idiot” and that “he won’t end up anywhere”. However, Peter was determined to overcome this adversity, being one of the key motives behind Hudson Jeans. Hudson Jeans bought him fortune, fame and most importantly purpose. The central theme in Peter’s life is to share his story as his struggle isn’t unique. Peter was devoted to staying true to himself through many years of hardship and has been able to succeed despite the ‘odds’. Peter’s greatest life lesson is, “don’t listen to people. Listen to yourself because only you know.”