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| Renowned fashion designer Lee Sang-bong, right, and his son designer Chung-chung pose for a photo at LIE SANGBONG boutique in Seoul in this March 2014 file photo. Korea Times file |
Lee Chung-chung follows in designer father's footsteps
By Kang Aa-young
Lee Chung-chung, chief director for the fashion label LIE and son of the renowned designer Lee Sang-bong, has become one of the most-talked-about designers at the 2019 Spring-Summer HERA Seoul Fashion Week (SFW) for his rapid rise to the global fashion stage.
His schedule had been fully booked recently with international showcases, including the New York Fashion Week, which was held in early September.
From New York, he flew directly to Shanghai for another show. On Friday, he will hold his much-anticipated SFW show.
Through his month-long journey, he has been focusing each show on each country's style. For example, in New York, he tried to create a more comfortable style, while in Paris he tried to add more "fun" to his experimental show.
Regarding his SFW show, he said he has been preparing another style.
"I have already showed different styling according to each stop. For Seoul Fashion Week on Friday, I have prepared a show focusing on styling which goes well along with Asian skin tones, with vibrant colors, since the buyers and clients are from countries including Japan, China, Hong Kong and Southeast Asian countries," he said in a phone interview with The Korea Times, Wednesday.
Starting with his first fashion show in 2015, he soon stood at the New York show, which was a breakthrough for an up-and-coming designer.
Right before the show, he collaborated with several fashion brands on masks, bags and shoes, and now he's busy working on collaborative pieces with Samsonite, an international suitcase brand.
However, his own namesake brand is a recent development.
The brand LIE was created with his sister Lee Na-na after he graduated from Central Saint Martins in London.
Born and raised in Seoul, Lee had access to art studios since he was a child. The children of a renowned designer of the world famous brand LIE SANGBONG, whose designs have been worn by pop stars including Beyonce, Rihanna, Lady Gaga and Lindsay Lohan, he and his sister were able to travel around the world to attend fashion events for the brand. Immediately after graduation the two worked individually and became award-winning designers. However, as they shared the same desire to make affordable luxury items, in 2011 the siblings created a line that reflected the elegance and sculptural details of their parents' label, ― but at a more accessible price ― for women seeking a modern look.
The 39-year-old Lee Chung-chung spent nearly 20 years with his father's label, and said he learned to work in a competitive environment thanks to his guidance.
His experience growing up made him who he is today, but many still question whether he can outdo his father.
"I do feel a burden," Lee said when asked about his father's shadow, but added that he feels he has already taken the first step out of his father's fame through his own independent label.
"I will make efforts to handle the show, as an individual designer," he said.
The show on Friday at Dongdaemun Design Plaza represents LIE's 2019 Spring-Summer collection, inspired by Amelia Earhart, the American aviation pioneer and author. The collection presents the story of a powerful woman along with a sense of feminism by depicting the style of the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.
The collection aims to motivate women to stay curious and adventurous, with a combination of 1930s feminine style including ruffles, and masculine trench coats and structured high-waist trousers.
