CONCEPT KOREA BECOMES A FASHION WEEK FAVORITE
By: Hope Wilkos, Writer/Blogger Photographer: George Whylie Videographer: Maxine Nolan
Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week Fall 2013 has opened the gateway to the international world of style by continuing to promote Concept Korea.
Concept Korea is a collaborative project to introduce the world to talented creative Korean fashion designers and provide assistance in their attempt to break into the U.S. Fashion Market. For the 7th successful season, Concept Korea has taken the season by storm.
This season the theme was labeled “Rhythm of Korea”. Five very gifted designers impressed and wowed their audience. Sitting in the front row and taking it all in was one of the most highly-respected professionals in the fashion industry, Fern Mallis. Traditional Korean music was incorporated into the runway show.
The designers had one common thread to their collections – the power of a woman through her wardrobe. Choiboko made a statement with deep red patterned messages built onto the fabric like a story in the pages of a book and red, white and black brought Korean tradition to life.
Choiboko believes in dressing the soul, not just the body in a traditional yet seemingly modernized way. He transformed ordinary nature into stylish glamour with sheaths that flow with the figure. His collection is labeled “Dance of Gods” symbolizing comfort and hope.
Lie Sang Bong favored black, white and a sort of brick red as he emblazoned architectural silhouettes on to his creations. He combined unique volume, form, geometrical shapes of the human body into an energized flair. One of the most flavorful pieces of his collection appeared like spider weaving its web feverishly around the figure of the model. Lie’s collection is appropriately labeled “Retro”.
Son Jung Wan gives the woman luxury with lace in rich fabrics and subtle femininity. Son Jung Wan’s Fall Winter 2013 collection is titled, “Dynamic Romance,” and was inspired by abstract painter, Wassily Kandinsky and the beauty of The Catherine Palace. Individuality speaks with a voice that denotes a sharp minimalism. Romanticism and sensibility are pleasing to the heart and soul in this wonderful and whimsical collection. Son Jung Wan will also be putting her latest collection on display on Saturday, February 9, 2013 in The Box at Lincoln Center.
Hongbum Kim transforms fashion into a musical and captivating concept by giving his label the name Cres E. Dim with ‘Cres’ meaning “getting gradually louder” and in contrast, ‘Dim’ means “getting gradually softer”. Philosophy plays a deeper role in his collection and black is big as he experiments in fabrics trying to portray a “naturally flowing river by making a shape, cutting and putting color on it.” Cres. E. Dim’s Fall Winter 2013 collection is titled, “Secondary Nature.” The collection expresses nature’s mystery with different methods using Technology (secondary nature) and inspiration drawn from Tokujin Yoshioka and Helmut Newton.
Perhaps the most wildly imaginative of the designers is Kathleen Kye and associated label, Kye. Fun-loving patterns and prints are more exaggerated with bold brilliant colors. If you gaze at the pieces long enough, they conjure up characters springing to life right off the fabric. Kye’s Fall Winter 2013 collection titled, “Unemployed Youth: Homeless Youth.” Drawing inspiration from the Seoul Station, the collection portrays images that are beautifully created with garbage wrapping papers, boxes and graffiti.
Each designer has already established themselves in the fashion industry in extraordinary ways and their collections shown at Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week prove that Concept Korea is organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism of The Republic of Korea, the Daegu Metropolitan City, The Korea Creative Contents Agency and The Korea Research Institute of Fashion Industry.
Supporting the ideals of the group is an industry powerhouse of fashion’s most influential voices. In addition to Fern Mallis is SIMON COLLINS, Dean of Parsons, COLLENSHERING, Fashion Director of SaksFifth Avenue, STAN HERMAN, former President of the CFDA, PHILLIP BLOCH, Stylist, ANN CARUSO, Stylist, JANE PAGE, VP at Balenciaga, CAROL SONG, Head Buyer at Opening Ceremony, SCOTT STUDENBERY, VP at Lanvin, TARYN LAEBAN, VP of Kate Spade and PHILIPPE SOUSSAND, founder of Soussand Associates.
This was a very well-rounded show and a Fashion Week favorite, for sure.
PHOTO CREDITS: Getty Images and Factory PR
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