South Korean soft power is about so much
more than just K-Pop. It’s about creating an
all-encompassing wave of culture generated
out of Seoul. And while the South Korean
fashion industry may have been a slow burner
in comparison to its beauty and entertainment
counterparts, it has now turned Seoul into a
sartorial Asian capital to rival Tokyo.
Jinwoo Choi is one of the reasons why. Half
of the design duo that makes up J Koo, his
speciality is sleek pieces inspired by the tailors
of Savile Row, a place where Choi spent his
weekends window shopping when he studied
in London. “When I went to Central Saint
Martins 10 years ago, half the people I met
only associated Korea with China and the
war,” he says. “But now they’re all emailing
me saying they want to come out to Seoul for
inspiration and how lucky I am to live in such
a vibrant city.”
One of South Korea’s most-loved fashion
exports, J Koo also dresses a number of doll-
like K-Pop icons, who fi ll the front row of
his shows at Seoul Fashion Week. And it is a
similar story with Kye, Rocket X Lunch, and
Minju Kim—all brands that gained traction
through K-Pop but which are now producing
collections worthy of international editorials.
Despite the array of talent on offer,
photographers at Seoul Fashion Week spend
as much time photographing the street-style
stars outside as the creative collections
inside. During Fashion Week, hundreds
of quirkily dressed local fashionistas—for
whom the motto “more is more” is clearly
inscribed in their wardrobes—gather in the
city centre. And they take dressing for the
camera particularly seriously. From designer-
clad fashion goddesses to super-hip students
posing in thrift-store fi nds, Seoul Fashion
Week is the proud owner of the most trend-
setting audience in the fashion universe.SHOP
B aker is an ultra-cool concept store selling
b ands from New York, Paris, London and, of
urse, Seoul. Don’t miss the cafe, bookshop and
s tionery area at the back. beakerstore.comSEOUL
SEOUL SEARCHING From top:
Looks from Seoul Fashion Week
FW17: Kye, J Koo and Rocket
X LunchSLEEP
The Four Seasons is in the very heart of
Seoul, and you’ll get a natural high from
the chaotic energy of the surrounding
streets leading up to Gyeongbokgung
Palace—although that will turn to
tranquillity the second you step though
the doors. fourseasons.com/seoulIMAGE: MIKKEL ADSBØL (APOLLO BAR AND KANTINE)EAT
Jungsik is practically perfect in every way, from
the terrifyingly thick wine list to the delicate but
delicious dishes such as pork belly with pickled
gomchwi. jungsik.kr64 hong kong tatler fashion. september 2017