Do Won Chang

Do Won Chang – Life, Career, and Lessons from the Founder of Forever 21

Explore the life of Do Won Chang (born March 20, 1954), South Korean-American entrepreneur behind Forever 21—his immigrant journey, business rise and fall, guiding principles, and enduring impact.

Introduction

Do Won Chang (장도원) is a South Korean-born American businessman, best known as the cofounder of the fast-fashion retail giant Forever 21. His story is often held up as a modern “American Dream” narrative—arriving in the U.S. with few resources, building a retail empire, then confronting the headwinds of changing retail landscapes and corporate challenges. In this article, we delve into his early life, business journey, philosophy, and the lessons we can learn from his trajectory.

Early Life and Background

Do Won Chang was born on March 20, 1954 in South Korea.

In 1981, Do Won and his wife Jin Sook Chang emigrated to the United States, settling in California.

Upon arriving in the U.S., Do Won held multiple low-wage jobs—washing dishes, working in coffee shops, at gas stations, and doing cleaning work—to make ends meet.

They worked long hours, often 19 hours a day, eventually pooling together around $11,000 in savings after several years.

Founding Forever 21 & Business Rise

The First Store: Fashion 21

In 1984, Do Won and Jin Sook used their savings to open a 900-square-foot clothing boutique in Highland Park, Los Angeles, under the name Fashion 21.

Remarkably, that first year they generated about $700,000 in sales.

They later rebranded the chain to Forever 21, aiming to broaden appeal beyond their initial Korean-American clientele.

Expansion and Peak

Over the following decades, Forever 21 expanded aggressively:

• By 2015, the chain had around 790 stores in 48 countries, employing tens of thousands.

• In 2015, the business reportedly hit $4.4 billion in sales.

• The brand became emblematic of fast fashion—trendy, inexpensive, and youth-oriented.

• In 2017, Do Won Chang was honored as a “Great Immigrant” by the Carnegie Corporation for his immigrant success and business contributions.

The rapid expansion and globalization of Forever 21 made Do Won Chang a notable figure in the fashion and business worlds.

Challenges, Decline & Structural Shift

The path was not without pitfalls. Several trends and missteps contributed to difficulties:

• Overexpansion: Many stores, especially in malls, became burdensome as rent and operational costs rose.

• E-commerce disruption: The rise of online shopping cut into foot-traffic in physical stores.

• Inventory mismanagement and competition: Fast fashion’s thin margins and fierce competition from digital-first brands squeezed profitability.

• In September 2019, Forever 21 filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing the need to reorganize.

• Part of the company’s assets and brand were sold to a consortium including Authentic Brands Group and real estate firms in early 2020.

After the sale, the Changs stepped back from the operational helm of Forever 21.

Thus, the company that once seemed invincible faced the harsh realities of retail transformation. However, the brand still continues under new ownership, though in a leaner, restructured form.

Philosophy, Values & Personal Life

Faith & Family

Do Won Chang and his wife are devout Christians. John 3:16 at the bottom.

He has stated that he sees his success as a blessing and has expressed desire to “pay forward” opportunities.

Family also remained central: their two daughters, Linda Chang and Esther Chang, became involved in the business—Linda in marketing roles, Esther in visual/creative direction. Riley Rose, a beauty and accessory brand that was carried in Forever 21 stores.

Work Ethic & Humility

From interviews, Do Won emphasizes that he treated his early jobs like they were his own business—learning diligently on the job and absorbing the workings of retail.

He also recognizes the challenges of scaling fast fashion in a changing world, acknowledging that “the garment industry right now isn’t easy.”

Notable Statements & Attributed Quotes

While Do Won Chang is not primarily a public intellectual, a few statements of his have been reported in interviews and profiles:

“I came here with almost nothing and I’ll always have a grateful heart toward America for the opportunities that it’s provided me… And I wanted to pay it forward.”

“When people talk about the American Dream, they are talking about a better life. However, if the business is doing well but your family is broken, that isn’t quite success to me.”

On competition: “The garment industry right now isn’t easy … traffic in malls has decreased … but we’ve prepared for [e-commerce] for quite some time now.”

On inspiration: After observing drivers in the garment industry driving nice cars, he asked what they did, which ultimately spurred his interest in retail.

These reflect key themes: gratitude, family over business, realism, and opportunistic learning.

Lessons & Insights from Do Won Chang’s Journey

From Do Won Chang’s life and business arc, we can extract several lessons that may apply beyond the fashion world:

1. Start with what you have
   Chang had little capital and limited formal education—but he leveraged work experience, observation, and resourcefulness to create value.

2. Learn by doing and observing
   His early jobs in retail, coffee shops, and gas stations were not wasted time—they were laboratories in how commerce and operations work.

3. Scale cautiously and adapt fast
   His model of rapid store rollout served well during expansion—but when market conditions shifted, the rigidity of brick-and-mortar posed risks. Adapting to e-commerce and digital disruption is crucial.

4. Keep faith and values visible
   Whether or not one shares his religious perspective, Chang’s willingness to embed his beliefs into his business (e.g., John 3:16 on shopping bags) shows alignment between identity and enterprise.

5. Value family and legacy over short-term gain
   He often emphasized that business success without family stability is hollow.

6. Resilience in adversity
   Even after bankruptcy and losing operational control, Chang’s rise remains a powerful narrative that encourages persistence in the face of failure.

Conclusion

Do Won Chang’s life embodies a classic immigrant-entrepreneur story: arriving in a new land with minimal resources, working tirelessly, seizing opportunity, building a global business—and then confronting the harsh realities of changing times. His faith, family orientation, and humility set him apart from purely profit-driven models.

Though Forever 21’s struggles remind us of retail’s volatility, Chang’s trajectory demonstrates that visionary ambition, grounded values, flexibility, and relentless work can still create lasting impact.

If you’d like, I can also map out the full lifecycle of Forever 21 under Chang’s leadership, compare it with other fast-fashion founders, or find more in-depth interviews. Which direction would you like to go next?