The S/S 2014 Seoul Fashion Week (SFW), from 18-24 Oct, ended last week after a week-long showcase of over 60 shows by leading Korean designers and up-and-coming ones presenting both their menswear and women’s collection. Visiting the SFW for the first time, I was overwhelmed by the amount of talent and creativity presented by the Korean designers. The men’s collection took center stage during the first 2 days of the fashion week and I was privileged to attend a couple of them including labels like JEHEE SHEEN, LEIGH, G.I.L HOMME, and DOMINIC’S WAY.
JEHEE SHEEN
Seoul-based designer Jehee Sheen, after years of working in Giorgio Armani, began his label under inspirations from both European and Asian motifs. Starting the show dramatically with a drummer on stage creating the beats for the show to follow, the Jehee Sheen’s Spring/Summer 2014 collection is minimalist, basic and very modern. White and black form the core of the collection , mixing mosaic designs with the use of leather, the spring/summer collection shows a number of blazers, bombers, and trench coats paired with pleated shorts and well-fitted trousers.
LEIGH
Leigh Sang-Hyun’s eponymous brand LEIGH maintains an errantly strong belief in simplicity. The collection is build on minimalist and extremely wearable, not overtly colorful, and made out of well-tailored pieces of garment including solid tops, functional outerwear and jackets, light trench perfect for the summer, and roomy shorts. Leigh has presented, for me, a very desirable collection that I would love to wear.
G.I.L HOMME
Korean fashion designer Eun Gil of G.I.L. Homme is known to dress the top A-List Korean male celebrities. His shows have always been one of the major highlights during Seoul fashion week and he does so again with a beautiful collection of pastel blues and whites, mixed with exotic motifs that stands out on the runway.
DOMINIC’S WAY
Differentiating herself from the others, Hye Myung Song, designer of Dominic’s Way decided to explore the punk rock and masculinity in her collection. Going all out to push the boundaries and to show what the “real man” is about. She filled the stage with models in cap and boxing shorts, punk rock printed tops, and touches of bold red colours.
The fashion shows aside, what impressed me the most are the street fashion that prelude each show venue, and the number of street style photographers – both local and those who flown in from overseas – who are present to capture of the Korean fashionistas, and incredibly good looking models who ‘parade’ around the fashion week site getting their snap shots by the eager photographers.
Check out my next post for more detailed street style shots of from the Seoul Fashion Week.
