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Seoul fashion ready to turn buzz into business

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Jung Ku-ho, left, executive director of HERA Seoul Fashion Week, speaks at a press conference at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Tuesday. /Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation
Jung Ku-ho, left, executive director of HERA Seoul Fashion Week, speaks at a press conference at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, Tuesday. /Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation

By Rachel Lee

Top Korean designers will be unveiling their 2018 fall and winter collections at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in Seoul from March 19-24, beginning with a hanbok show to herald the overall concept _ Korean beauty.

The HERA Seoul Fashion Week will have 37 designer brands, and two companies are expected to participate, and the Generation Next Seoul, a trade show started two years ago, will present 13 shows and 90 rising designer brands, according to organizer Seoul Design Foundation.
Hanbok designer Kim Hye-soon will grace the stage with her authentic collection in the opening ceremony on the very first day. This will be the first time for the Korean costume designer to open the trade show.

"I hope this will be an opportunity to introduce our traditional costumes to the world out there," said Jung Ku-ho, executive director of Seoul Fashion Week.

The show will be a reinterpretation of hanbok in a "modern" way adding fun elements, Jung added.

The director said he has always been interested in and has appreciated traditional values and beauty, shown by participating in historical film productions and showcasing traditional furniture collections.

Fashion week is not just a festival where people enjoy pretty clothes on runways. After all, it is a business.
Along with such initiatives, the organizers have been discussing ways to support rising designers and collaborate with established organizations including the British Fashion Council all during the event, Jung said.

"In addition to the fashion show, we are planning on supporting designers to stably enter overseas markets such as fashion shows, London shows, and more," the director said.

Last month, the Korea Creative Content Agency showcased eight Korean fashion brands at the British Fashion Council's showspace at 180 The Strand. The artists included Anne and The Crwd, Beauton, Bmuete(TE), Gayeon Lee, Kimmy.J and Moon Lee.


Models wear creations of Kimmy.J's 2018 spring and summer collection at the HERA Seoul Fashion Week at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul in October last year. / Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation
Models wear creations of Kimmy.J's 2018 spring and summer collection at the HERA Seoul Fashion Week at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul in October last year. / Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation

"In this season, 50 buyers from high-end shops and online multi-brand shops in America and Europe, 130 buyers from Asia, and Middle East buyers will participate in the event. We're expecting to see some good results from our talented designers."

Collaborative seminars will be held during the fashion week, the organizers said. Haagen-Dazs, designer Lee Moo-yeol, patisserie Yoo Min-joo, and photographer Nam Hyun-bum will hold the first one under the topic "Haagen-Dazs Collaboration and Fashion Trend," "Desserts and Fashion/ Desserts and Life" and "Artisan Spirit of twenties" March 21.

On the next day, renowned fashion experts Sara Maino, Anders Madsen and Isabella Burley will hold a discussion to talk in-depth about "Sustainability" and "New luxury."
Another attraction of Seoul Fashion Week is Fashion Film Festival, which the organizers say is expected to allow visitors to enjoy fashion movies free of charge, for three days from March 22 to 24.

Dazed Korea is co-hosting the film event with an aim to "bring pleasure with stylish and fashionable movies to all the visitors."

In addition, MINI Retro blue edition produced by collaboration of MINI and Ordinary People will be displayed at Oullim Square, and Life Plus Moment, a photo exhibition of objects that inspired Generation Next designers, will be held at DDP CREA. Besides, ‘Designer Sample Market,' which sells samples of trade show designers, and HERA Seoul Fashion Week photo zone for citizens, will be installed at Oullim Square to provide citizens with an opportunity to experience various fashion cultures.

"Big names like Steve J & Yoni P and Moon J will be on display throughout Seoul to create the atmosphere of fashion festivals all over the city," the organizers said.
Meanwhile, all the SFW fashion runways will be broadcast live through online and mobile channels, including the official Seoul Fashion Week website.

Seoul Fashion Week began in 2001 under the auspices of the Seoul Metropolitan Government which identified fashion as an emerging growth industry, earmarked for support.

For more information, visit http://www.seoulfashionweek.org.













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