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By Rachel Lee
There used to be a huge gap between "Gangbuk," the area of Seoul north of the Han River, and Gangnam, the southern part of the capital, when it came to fashion.
Gangnam which has Garosu-gil and Cheongdam-dong, were long the epicenters for local and luxury fashion trends. Ganbuk was seen as being grittier and less upscale.
These days, however, the situation is reversed. When it comes to fashion, districts north of the river are now king, industry insiders say.
"Over the past few years, a lot of designers have left for areas in Gangbuk such as Dongdaemun and Hannam-dong," said designer Choi Ji-hyung of the label Johnny Hates Jazz. "These places are now leading the fashion industry."
Choi has moved her showroom to Hannam-dong in the Yongsan District in the northern part of the city. Park Seung-gun of the label pushBUTTON, among others, has followed suit.
Dongdaemun has come back into the spotlight too.
In the late 1990s, shopping malls such as Migliore and Doota won the hearts of the younger generation with their trendy items.
Today, it has become a popular destination among rising, up-and-coming designers. This year's Seoul Fashion Week was held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and The Korea Apparel Industry Association opened its Ledome showroom in the area to promote Korean fashion by showcasing the country's emerging designers to overseas buyers and media.
"Dongdaemun is a must-see place for tourists thanks to the popularity of the Korean wave. Dongdaemun-based designers like me are trying to show something very unique to appeal to both local and overseas shoppers," says designer Seo Eun-gil of label Gil Homme.
Shoppers who live in Gangnam are also making their way across the Han River to snap up trendy items.
According to Shinsegae Department Store, one of the country's major retailers, the vast majority of male consumers visiting its branch in Jung-gu, northern Seoul, live in the southern part of the city.
At that location, the highest percentage of shoppers came from the Seocho District, south of the river; followed by those from the Gangnam District.
These days, more and more high-end fashion brands, such as Valentino and Golden Goose Deluxe Brand can be found at department stores. Designer labels including Alexander McQueen and Dries Van Noten will enter Shinsaegae's Jung-gu store next month.
Korean Language
서울 강북, 패션의 중심지로 거듭나
한강 북쪽인 서울 중구에 있는 신세계백화점 본점에서 물건을 사는 남성 패션 고객은 강 건너 강남 지역에서 온 고객이 가장 많았다.
21일 신세계백화점에 따르면 지난해 10월 본점 남성 패션 매장을 '남성전문관'으로 새 단장한 뒤 이 같은 현상이 빚어져 고객 지역별 매출에서 서울 서초구가 1위, 강남구가 2위를 차지했다.
이어 용산구, 마포구, 종로구 등 신세계 본점과 비교적 가까운 강북 지역이 그 뒤를 이었다.
리뉴얼 이전 본점 남성매장 구매고객의 주소로 집계한 주 상권은 용산구, 마포구, 서초구, 성북구, 강남구 순이었다.
이번에 순위가 뒤바뀐 것은 오프라인 상권 지도와 관계없이 '원정 쇼핑'에 나선 고객이 많아졌기 때문이라고 백화점 측은 설명했다.
이상헌 신세계 남성의류팀장은 '인근지역 중심 상권 개념을 뛰어넘어 트렌드를 선도하는 브랜드 상품을 도입해 차별화한 것이 주효했다'고 말했다.