The Korean fashion evolution is making waves worldwide due to its innovative blend of tradition and modernity. Brands like 24T, Aishito, and lesugiatelier are at the forefront, each bringing a different style. From turning everyday life into fashion with 24T to Aishito’s bold military themes, Korean designers offer a fresh take on fashion. Dive into the world of Korean designers to explore their diverse and captivating styles.
Trailblazers of the Korean Fashion Evolution
The Rise of 24T in the Korean Fashion Evolution
Established in June 2021, 24T blends the everyday aspects of life with creativity, showcasing the Korean fashion evolution. Under the guidance of brand director Habomi, the brand unveils distinctive seasonal plans, such as a collaboration with Sandy Kim to create a pictorial based on LA subculture. The brand’s essence is encapsulated in its slogan, “How’s your day?” envisioning a brighter tomorrow.
“24T is a name derived from the number 24, which means one day, and the first letter T of my favorite words such as Time, Travel, and Theme.”
Habomi, Director of 24T
For Habomi, each day is an amalgamation of experiences – from dining to friendships to work – that can inspire a better tomorrow. This philosophy is mirrored in 24 T’s designs, prioritizing product quality, including details like incorporating the Korean national flag on labels. Habomi envisions 24T as a brand with legacy, creating timeless pieces instead of fleeting trends, and aspires to touch lives, making each day meaningful and cherished.
ICYTO: A Testament to Korean Designers’ Innovation
ICYTO, initiated in January 2022, derives its name from director Noh Sang-min‘s previous venture, Cytokinin. This brand, celebrated for its robust military-inspired designs, resonates strongly on social platforms due to its distinct washed design and layered styling. Noh Sang-min, acknowledging that the clothes might not fit the everyday wear criterion, sees this as the brand’s allure and hopes that daring individuals will wear them. Moreover, Noh envisions ICYTO more as a community of audacious people shaping culture than just a clothing brand.
Noh integrates hard-wearing elements from military wear into ICYTO’s designs, especially evident in his passion for layering and achieving a rugged look. While the brand emphasizes staying in line with contemporary trends, it doesn’t focus solely on mass appeal. Noh’s ethos, “Live dangerously,” encapsulates his desire to design for those with a combative spirit, reflecting his journey of seeking purpose and living fiercely. Ultimately, Noh perceives ICYTO as a brand offering styles for daily life and special occasions.
“I tend to use design elements from military clothing. The material itself is often tough and wrinkled, or has a rough and hard feel. They say there is a ‘sense of examination.'”
Sang-min Noh, CEO of ICYTO
lesugiatelier: Bridging Tailored Elegance with Streetwear in Korean Fashion Evolution
Launched in February 2019, the brand underwent a transformation in June 2021, adopting the name lesugiatelier under the direction of Kim Jin-sook. Moving from a personal brand, it now encompasses her team, focusing on a blend of tailored and casual styles. Their designs are versatile, made for career women transitioning from work to evening outings, exemplified in their 2023 Pre-Fall season titled ‘Nine to Night,’ which fuses office chic with streetwear aesthetics. With aspirations of global recognition, lesugiatelier introduced menswear this season.
“When introducing lesugiatelier, we introduce it as a brand characterized by mix and match. We make clothes that are close to tailoring, such as jackets and suits, as well as wearable items. Among them, I have great affection for jackets. Sexy doesn’t come from having vulgar clothes or showing a lot of skin. Competent and confident people are the sexiest. The item that best shows the characteristics of such people is a jacket.”
Kim Jinsook, CEO of lesugiatelier.
Kim Jin-sook believes in combining style with functionality, championing the oversized jacket as a signature piece. Her designs often draw inspiration from personal experiences, such as a line influenced by her father’s running shirt or themes like moving away from excessive screen time to outdoor activities. While she gathers inspiration from those around her, her broader vision is to foster a healthy, happy work environment, aspiring for a four-day workweek and envisioning lesugiatelier as a global enterprise.
Jimmy: Nature-Inspired Innovation in the Korean Fashion Landscape
Jimmy, a distinctive fashion brand established by Byun Ji-woong in April 2022, draws its primary inspiration from nature, as hinted by its Instagram handle @jimimicry, referencing ‘biomimicry.’
“In biology class when I was in school, I learned that Velcro material was created by biomimicking the appearance of certain plants. After seeing that, I came up with a brand name by combining ‘Biomimicry’, which means biomimicry, with my English name, Jimmy. However, since the word was unfamiliar, I ended up using just Jimmy.”
Byun Ji-woong, Director of Jimmy.
Among the standout pieces are a dress that mirrors the look of a moth and a puffer vest with a hood reminiscent of rabbit ears. Notably, Jimmy’s designs interweave the allure of nature with a dash of fantasy, presenting more than just everyday wear.
Byun Ji-woong’s designs for Jimmy strike a balance between flamboyance and naturalness. He draws inspiration from moths, rabbit ears, flowers, and marine life, believing that nature offers unmatched shapes and colors. Upholding a brand philosophy of fun and freshness, he wishes for Jimmy’s pieces to be outfit centerpieces. Perfecting each design demands relentless effort and meticulous attention to detail, demonstrating Ji-woong’s dedication to bringing his fantastical visions to life, all while considering production practicalities.
Carnet Archive: The Artistic Pioneers in Korean Designers’ Exploration
Halyn Kim and Young Dae Kong, founders of CARNET ARCHIVE, began their partnership at the London College of Fashion in 2017. While the brand name suggests continuous experimentation, their unique approach merges Young’s inspirations from dark-themed art and literature with Halyn’s diverse interests in valuable things, giving their brand a profound depth.
Their collections, like A Sculpted Sculptor and Paper Crustacean, have gained significant attention, showcasing innovative designs that play with silhouette and ergonomics. As the brand evolves, they are committed to slow fashion and long-term value, emphasizing the significance of the process and aesthetics over fast trends and exploring alternative methods such as installation, video work, and 3D graphics.
“It’s one of the long-running themes of CARNET ARCHIVE. Clothes as a social skin that protects you from the outside: exaggerated body shapes, references to crustaceans and architectural structures.”
Halyn Kim and Young Dae Kong.
ANCHOVI: The Seoul-Based Visionary in the Korean Fashion Evolution
From his early obsession with the Marc Jacobs documentary to his disillusionment with the real-world fashion industry, Seoul-based Kim Kwun Hyuk founded his own menswear brand, ANCHOVI. Known for its unique details and innovative campaigns, the brand prepares to unveil its fifth collection. For Kim, managing the brand is a “balancing act” between commercial success and genuine design, ensuring each collection remains accessible while introducing fresh ideas. While ANCHOVI doesn’t target runway showcases, Kim aspires to present at Paris Fashion Week, with his recent collection drawing inspiration from “Don Quixote” by Miguel de Cervantes.
“Korean culture currently has a huge influence globally. And as a designer brand based in Seoul, we are aiming to have a global impact by sensitively incorporating our culture and trends into our work.” .
Kim Kwun Hyuk, founder of ANCHOVI
UPNOON: The Melting Pot of Tradition, Innovation, and Korean Designers’ Craftsmanship
Jang Jisoo and Kim Dahee, high school friends from Korea, teamed up with their Myanmar-born classmate, Moe Inzali, from Central Saint Martins, to launch their brand, UPNOON, in Seoul. The brand reflects their diverse backgrounds:
- Jisoo’s love for installation art and East Asian traditionsDahee’s
- Dahee’s passion for fashion drawing and videographyMoe’s
- Moe’s experience in beauty and hair design
Together, they aim to make UPNOON visually fun for both creators and wearers.
“We wanted to create a brand that is visually fun for people. We are experimenting with the idea that it should be fun not only for the wearer, but also for those of us who make it.”
UPNOON founders.
Their SS22 collection, inspired by the solitude of the pandemic, boasts unique textiles that merge knitwear and print. While they continuously work towards sustainability, they’re also innovating with the recent addition of an automatic knitting machine and the introduction of UPNOON Lab, which explores unconventional knitwear designs. The trio envisions UPNOON as not just a brand but a future platform for creatives worldwide to collaborate and narrate their stories.
GOOMHEO: Traditional Meets Modern in a Korean Designer’s Vision
Before discovering her passion for fashion, Goom Heo aspired to be an interpreter. Her trajectory shifted after watching a documentary on fashion schools, leading her to attend CSM and eventually establish her brand, GOOMHEO. Supported by Fashion East, her menswear collections present a unique blend of experimentation and traditional elements, embodying a fresh vision of masculinity enriched with feminine details.
“It wasn’t just about making clothes. The process of collaborating with a stylist, preparing for a shoot, and coordinating collaborations were areas that I hadn’t been taught in at school.”
Goom Heo.
While her journey with Fashion East was instrumental, it was more than just about crafting clothes. Goom Heo had to delve into collaborations, photoshoots, and management, gaining invaluable experience every season. As she envisions the future, her aspirations include elevating the Korean fashion scene and pioneering as a renowned fashion house’s first Korean artistic director.
SUNG JU’s Impact on the Korean Fashion Evolution
For Lee Sung Ju, designing clothes is more than just fashion; it’s a therapeutic expression of his experiences. His inaugural SUNG JU collection, “Relation,” launched in 2020, reflects memories and personal symbols, like a yellow Korean melon that mirrors a childhood nickname. Additionally, his designs draw from diverse inspirations such as streetwear, sculpture, and traditional Korean dance, resulting in vibrant colors and striking forms. His collection, Conflict, delves into the tension between personal desires and constraints, showcasing reimagined 1930s zoot suits, among other innovative pieces. As SUNG JU evolves, Lee’s mission remains: to narrate his journey and introduce fresh, captivating styles to his audience.
“Starting a fashion brand may not be difficult for some, but I think it is difficult to continue developing it. There are parts that I miss, and parts that I neglect, but I am working to fill in the missing parts.”
Lee Sung Ju, founder of SUNG JU.
More Korean fashion stories:
- The Evolution and Influence of Korean Fashion Culture
- 20+ Best Korean Street Fashion Trends to Try in 2023
- Korean Fashion & Makeup: Evolution, Influence, and Global Dominance
- Top 2023 Korean Spring Fashion Trends: Elevate Your Style with the Latest Looks
- Trailblazers of the Runway: Korea’s Top Fashion Models Making Global Waves
