“Maybe this is too good to stay in the gym,” realized Kyu Kim of the performance activewear that CHIEF. was designing for use in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu training gyms. It looks like he was right, as just a few years later a Times Square billboard announced their presence at a pop-up store in SOHO. Sports apparel is a notoriously difficult sector for independent brands to break into, and becoming one of the first to be featured in America’s preeminent fashion district was possible because of their belief in minimal, elevated, and intentional designs. This ethos allows the made-in-Vietnam brand to now imagine even bigger than apparel and sell its vision of great taste to the world.
CHIEF. billboard featured in Times Square.
The potential to be a CHIEF. is in everyone
What does chief mean? The first question most people have about the brand understandably relates to its name. Most simply, CHIEF. is short for Chief Great Taste Officer, in homage to the CEO title, which holds such cachet in our modern world, as well as the pride the brand has in having ‘great taste’ in fashion and lifestyle design.
But the name is deeper than that. Kyu explained that they chose it intentionally ”to provide a solution for the consumers: Picking out the right fashion and color takes time and energy. We wanted to eliminate that for the general public … we will do the work in terms of figuring out what looks good, and by people choosing to put on our gear, they can instantly have ‘great taste’ and they too are a Chief Great Taste Officer or, in short, a CHIEF..”
CHIEF. wasn’t always CHIEF., however. Originally, Chief Great Taste Officer was shortened as CGTO.. With a purposeful period at the end of the acronym reinforcing the idea that there isn’t room for questioning, the name sought to introduce a new C-suite position into the world. It didn’t catch on like they’d hoped, however, and after two years they pivoted to a word that was easier to say, search, and identify, a move that is representative of the brand’s flexibility and ability to adapt to circumstances. Still, some of the early adopters continue to use the name CGTO. and the logo appears here and there, noticeable to those with keen eyes.
What it means to be “Made in Vietnam”
CHIEF. founder, Kyu Kim.
Born to a South Korean diplomat, Kyu grew up all around the world, and after university in New York, working for an education management company brought him to Vietnam. It was in Saigon’s nascent Jiu-Jitsu community that he saw an opportunity to be an early adopter and provide high-quality gear to practitioners who up until then had no access to it. Fueled by his lifelong interest in fashion and style, CHIEF. began as a passion project involving the needs of a sport he had become deeply immersed in, following his American football days in the US and Korea.
Kyu soon recognized an opportunity in the within no-gi Jiu-Jitsu, a form of Jiu-Jitsu practiced without the traditional kimono. Within the global market, established brands existed, but he saw room for a fresh perspective, particularly for clean, minimalist designs that could appeal to a broader audience. The market was largely characterized by loud colors, bold graphics, and traditional motifs such as dragons, skulls, and samurai, which frequently adorned rashguards and shorts—the sport's primary training apparel, designed to provide comfort and protect the skin from friction during intense physical activity.
Attire is extremely important for Jiu-Jitsu atheletes, and there was room for creativity in Saigon's gyms.
With no previous background in the fashion industry though, CHIEF.’s initial approach was to partner with local gyms to design co-branded gear, lowering the barriers of entry for his brand while learning the nuances of apparel production. The hands-on experience allowed Kyu and his design team in Korea, who were equally new to the sector, to learn how to make color combinations come to life and designs pop. The many trials allowed CHIEF. to launch their own self-branded designs in late 2024.
Early CHIEF. collaborations with Saigon Jiu-Jitsu gym.
The process of visiting suppliers, talking with manufacturers, and testing materials and methods was a completely new world to Kyu and he faced numerous rejections from suppliers in the beginning due of the lack of their familiarity with the specialized materials required to bring his vision to life. But he remained determined to establish production in Vietnam because being in the vicinity of suppliers allowed for stricter quality control. Their Seoul-based designer adds another perspective and a special touch that contributes to a global feel and appeal. The learning was a two-way process as well, with Kyu helping to introduce new ideas to particularly open-minded suppliers. In addition to design, material quality is of the utmost importance. Each piece had to be lightweight, super sweat-absorbent, quick-drying and sturdy enough to withstand the pressures of constant friction. After early attempts to find such a material went awry, the team was compelled to look beyond Vietnam in search of the ideal blend of polyester and elastane. The hunt led them to Italy, where they discovered fabrics that met their exact standards. Consisting of thousands of tiny pores that contribute to its airy but strong feel, it now constitutes the exclusive CreamAIR fabric used only in CHIEF. apparel.
In addition to their designs, CHIEF. sets itself apart via premium fabrics.
The timing of CHIEF.’s launch was perfect as it coincided with a boom in Jiu-Jitsu globally on the heels of MMA’s ascendant popularity as well as Kyu’s personal journey. Especially during COVID, the sport gave him something to truly focus on as his original industry became disrupted. Because it provides an opportunity for lifelong physical, mental and emotional learning, it served as a source of strength and flexibility during a time of staleness. “The passion for bringing sports and creative vision together was the start of it all. But today, the vision extends far beyond that - to inspire positivity in the world through our distinctive taste in all areas of sports, wellness and everyday life,” he reflected.
Kyu and his team work meticuously to ensure every detail and feature meets their high standards.
Bigger than a single sport or country
CHIEF. announced its arrival as a brand through the original Mono line. The sleek, monochrome designs featuring signature CreamAIR fabric represent the brand’s commitment to aesthetic precision and quality, or in other words, great taste. Meanwhile, the Legacy Editions tastefully feature the colors of countries in the recent World Cup, such as South Korea, Brazil, and the USA. Going a step beyond simple homages to national flags, the designs contain deep cultural meanings for each country, such as harkening back to football glory days or particularly important national events and heroes, such as the 250th Anniversary Edition for USA or legendary F1 driver, Aryton Senna, who is honored via helmet stripes on the Brazilian jersey. With potential to expand in untold, exciting directions, Kyu dreams that one day CHIEF. can partner with a national team to design a catalog of uniforms that will stand out for their timeless design.
Special USA Legacy Edition (left)and Mono design (right).
The idea of further expansion soon arrived. Football design elements utilized along with the Mono line rashguards fit seamlessly under a suit, and many of Kyu’s friends, models, and even strangers who were not associated with combat sports asked to purchase the apparel for personal use. “I think that's when I clicked, and I said, ‘hey, look, this could cater to people outside.” This vision was confirmed at the pop-up in SOHO. A company in New York had happened across CHIEF.’s social media and thought they would be a great addition to their global showcase, particularly because it was open during the World Cup. Up to that point, about 30 percent of CHIEF.’s customers were non-practitioners of Jiu-Jitsu, and instead wore the apparel for other types of athletics such as running, swimming, Crossfit, HYROX etc. In New York, it was 70 percent, from young to old. When walking past, whether appreciating the simple Mono designs or the Legacy pieces that perfectly aligned with the World Cup, people saw them fitting seamlessly into their wardrobe.
The expansion to communities outside Jiu-Jitsu is just the beginning of CHIEF.’s curation of products that exemplify great taste, however. Upon deliberating on how to improve the brand experience at venues they were present in, CHIEF. came up with the idea to sell coffee. But rather than partner with a third party vendor that wouldn’t synchronize perfectly with their larger vision, they decided to create their own brand. The move made perfect sense given CHIEF.’s influence in Vietnam, one of the world’s top coffee producers. To achieve a drink that did justice to their name, they sourced and top quality Arabica beans from Vietnam and Ethiopia and packaged them in an easy to carry and brew format for people who value saving time alongside a delicious beverage. Such a product reflects CHIEF.’s aims to be for everyone, not just those connected to a sport. Bringing together men and women from all walks of life, it exemplifies how CHIEF. can unite communities.
Whether coffee, mug, or pen, the sense of great taste is obvious.
The Great Taste Coffee was later joined by a collection of lifestyle accessories including tumblers, branded pens, dry bags, towels and keychains. The aim was to create an ecosystem of thoughtfully designed products that extend beyond sports and into everyday life, from homes to workplaces to daily routines. From coffee to home decor to expanded lines of apparel, looking ahead, Kyu speaks on the broader sense of CHIEF.’s mission: “With a name like Chief Great Taste Officer, we wanted to challenge ourselves to live up to what it represents - bringing exceptional taste into the world. The moniker’s versatility allows us to branch out to new sectors and collaborate with brands and businesses beyond the world of sports.”
True to this ability, they now sell to 17 countries worldwide. Meanwhile, CHIEF.’s collaborations have extended into beverage brands, book covers, corporations, individual athletes, and Korean artist Kim In. With 52 collaborations spanning the US, Korea, and Singapore, these partnerships reflect the brand’s growing international presence, creative versatility, and continued evolution in quality and design—all within a relatively short period.
Reflecting on CHIEF.’s appearance on a New York City billboard, Kyu became nostalgic, noting how it wasn’t so long ago he had been a student in that same neighborhood, needing to borrow money to take a bus home. And yet, he might look back at the pop-up as a quaint step in CHIEF.’s story. More than a lesson in the appeal of Jiu-Jitsu apparel, CHIEF. is a story about how a brand made in Vietnam can achieve global relevancy through hard work and great taste.
