The surname of the married couple who founded Forever 21 is Chang.
Do Won Chang and Jin Sook Chang, a husband-and-wife team from South Korea, opened their first clothing store in Los Angeles in 1984. The shop was originally called Fashion 21, not Forever 21, and operated in the Highland Park neighborhood.
The Changs reportedly invested about $11,000 of savings in the small store. Its first-year sales reached roughly $700,000, helping finance rapid expansion. The company later changed its name to Forever 21 and adopted the fast-fashion model for which it became known.
A common mix-up is identifying only Do Won Chang as the founder. He is often described as the company’s founder or former chief executive, but Jin Sook Chang was his co-founder and wife. Their daughters also became involved in the family business, especially in marketing and creative roles.