The Selects Showroom represents nine talented Korean designers, bringing their creations to a global audience following New York Fashion Week. Once again, The Daily went behind the scenes with the next generation talent to talk about their new collections and the story so far.
Hyunji wears designs by all nine designers of The Selects showroom (Courtesy)
Next up, we chat to Hye-Jin Hong of THE STUDIO K, Cho Sung Jun and Hwang Ji Hyun of NEUL, and Lee Moo Yeol of YOUSER.
THE STUDIO K
Hye-Jin Hong of THE STUDIO K
When did you launch your brand?
2009.
What themes/fashions do people know you for?
Real and surreal, near future, and self-confidence. Studio K is a brand that pursues a pleasant imagination of the
near future.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
We design clothes based on concepts inspired by important social and cultural phenomena of the contemporary, and process them so that consumers can enjoy and understand them. We are mainly inspired by familiar and new things, the daily lives we belong to us. In particular, recently, we have been inspired by looking at Seoul, the city we live in, and the people living in it with a new perspective.
What is the key to your brand’s success?
Being a future-oriented brand, but with design that is mainly modern, simple, and wearable. We think our customers come back to us and to our brand because they can find a unique and sophisticated style that is different from others; with witty details that are comfortable to wear.
What’s been a highlight for the brand?
There have been various moments since the brand was launched, but we think the Spring Summer ’18 and Fall Winter ’18 collections were a highlight for us and our customers. The real-time augmented reality runway shows, which were held with portable devices using four-channel holograms, are now familiar technologies, but it was the first fusion of fashion and technology at Seoul Fashion Week at that time, so those were big opportunities to promote our brand.
What’s next for the brand?
Currently, numerous technological advances are creating new standards and goals for fashion, and consumers’ daily lives are changing in line with these changes of the times. THE STUDIO K wants to help our customers express their own ideal images in various and specific ways through our clothes.
NEUL
Cho Sung Jun and Hwang Ji Hyun of NEUL
When did you launch your brand?
2016.
What themes/fashions do people know you for?
Unique style and colors of crossover inspired by occidental and oriental.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
We’re normally inspired by our journey of life, books, and exhibitions.
What is the key to your brand’s success?
We think we have clear identities and visual sensitivities. And every season we tried to become more sustainable brand which many buyers requested in these days.
What’s been a highlight for the brand?
Story telling about our “WOMAN (MUSE)” in each collection.
What’s next for the brand?
Be sustainable! Be global!
YOUSER
Lee Moo Yeol of YOUSER
When did you launch your brand?
In 2011. I began to introduce the brand overseas in 2015.
Where do you find inspiration for your designs?
I’m mainly inspired by media, movies, and cartoons. Since childhood, I have also liked Japanese animation, sci-fi novels, music, and art genres.
What is the key to your brand’s success?
It’s too early to say it’s a success! However, it is certain that the achievements I made were not made by myself. Next to me, there’s always a good team and partners. Even if I succeed in the future, I want to be with them. We are responsible for our work and have a lot of pride for the creative work
What’s been a highlight for the brand?
There were many moments when the brand shone, but the Spring Summer 2020 season show when I debuted in Milan was the most memorable. It was even more brilliant because I was invited to the show at Camera Moda after winning the Woolmark prize.
What’s next for the brand?
Although we have showrooms in Paris and China, there are a lot of restrictions on overseas activities. After the pandemic, we will actively promote overseas. We will introduce the collection in Paris from 2022 and I will try to show our collection in more countries and stores.
YOUSER (Courtesy)
YOUSER (Courtesy)
YOUSER (Courtesy)
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