K-Fashion Odyssey Exhibition
Korea joins the 2014 International Fashion Showcase (IFC), which is part of the London Fashion Week, for the second time to present a selection of fashion collection which are designed by talented Korean fashion designers. K-Fashion Odyssey presents both design and creativity in the fashion collection by five young fashion designers who are graduates from the well-known fashion schools from across Europe. While the other four fashion designers are graduates from Central Saint Martins, Hyein Seo is a gradate from the Royal Academy of Fine Art Antwerp. Each of them has their own unique concept of fashion collection with stories and ‘worlds’ to tell together with their experimental talents and Korean roots.
Participating Fashion Designers at K-Fashion Odyssey
Chloe Kim’s Central Saint Martins Graduate Collection 2012 (Source: AKA Magazine Website)
Chloe Kim presents her collection which is inspired by Charles Dickens’s ‘Great Expectations’. The story is about Miss Havisham, who is betrayed by her husband, goes to the forest and becomes one with the nature. Her works consists of the combination of shredded dyed laces and unfinished skirts while resembling the Korean drawing techniques. At the same time, she blends the light colours and fine lines of dresses with nature of flowers and trees. With lots of layers of shredded laces on the dresses, it draws into imaginations in becoming one with a different world, the forest.
Her collection tells a delightful and fantasy fairytale of a girl in her own world with full of dreams and happiness in the wonders of nature. A girl who has her own story to tell. A form of escapism in the forest to find a sense of calmness and serenity.
Gigi Jeehyung Jung’s ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’ collection
Gigi Jeehyun Jung graduate collection looks into the wonders of childhood memories. This is inspired by Tim Burton’s film, ‘Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure’. She placed the concept of kidult, half kid and half adult, with the fashion elements of 60s and 90s. It is also a concept that is relating to how ancestors has developed Korea in the ancient times till the modern days with technological development. Her goal is to let the adults walk down the memory lane of childhood memories that cannot be forgotten. Both puzzle-like outfits and accessories are taken into consideration with childhood motifs like puzzle pieces, toys, and animals.
It is a delightful and cheerful reminder to visitors to see playful and creative kidult collection that opens their mind. The transportation doors that are opened to visitors to recall their memories that cannot be forgotten. Gigi has taken a lot of time in putting every single element of memory together into the collection, the story, and the picture of the world of children in the adults’ minds.
Hyein Seo’s ‘Fear Eats the Soul’ collection (Source: A View of Shaded Fashion Website)
Hyein Seo recently won the Best Designer for IMC Emerging Talent Award 2014 with her third year collection, ‘Fear Eats the Soul’. This collection consists of the classic horror film aesthetic with a blend of 1990s fashion and old school hip hop. She explores the strong characters of the scary horror film heroin which she take as her muse. A collection of luxury fur coats, decadent jewels, red lips, and pale skins give off Gothic vibes of a beautiful rich woman who is the victim of horror films.
The collection is not only classic but also striking contemporary street culture outfits. A horror story or film about a female victim that comes back to life with the strong butt-kicking attitude. The mix of black, white, red, and ghostly faces on the clothing gives the visitors some goosebumps.
Narae Park’s ‘The Boundary Collection’
Narae Park presents a sustainable and eco-friendly fashion collection, ‘The Boundary Collection’ with the ‘Heung’, the emotion of cheerfulness. She was inspired to do this collection while she was a volunteer for Save The Children at Bakantu, Ethopia. She saw through how the local people are still smiling while going through the hard labour. Thus, she decides to take ‘Boundary’ as a concept for her works. She took the old materials, with odd colours and shapes, and form into oversized but fashionable clothing with unique texture of fabric. Her aim is to portray the people including children have happiness, with smiles, while going through the harsh labour and reality.
‘The Boundary Collection’ gives a clear message about the meaning of happiness. A light that shines bright in the dark reality and world. No matter what happens, each person has a cheerful smile and believes that he or she is going to be fine. A good example of sustainable fashion with meaningful messages.
Rejina Pyo’s ‘Structural Mode’ fashion collection (Source: SOMA Magazine)
The London-based fashion designer, Rejina Pyo, got her inspirations for ‘Structural Mode’ fashion collection from minimalism of primative art and solid colours. This led her to create structural and geometrical dresses that has both commercial and experimental lines. Each colour represents a memory which is strong. Also, the flow of lines from each outfit have a sense of emotion that is expressed by Rejina. Each form of shapes and colours are combine together into the striking and captivating 3D-like dresses.
This collection is more to design than fashion. She took the initiative to sketch out different graphical designs with bold colours. Both colours and lines impact the visitors’ mind and opinions about how each of them represent certain elements. These outfits are constructive but smooth lines and striking colours appeal the contemporary and modern arts and fashion.
Each collection from each participating fashion designer has great stories with unique elements to share with the visitors. Every single element from what they experience in Korea and West are put in together into complete forms of collection with magnificent creativity and innovation in fashion. The K-Fashion Odyssey exhibition is extended till the 15 March at the KCCUK. Don’t miss this chance to see their works. Also, there will be an Artist Talk Party on 14 March so you can hear the participating fashion designers’ views about the Korean fashion in the global stage.
Tags : Chloe Kim,Fashion,Gigi Jeehyun Jung,Hyein Seo,Narae Park,Rejina Pyo
