Fashion month is nearing its end in Korea, and it is time to put you up to speed with its highlights! If you are familiar with Korea’s fashion scene, you know that Seoul Fashion Week (Spring/Summer 2023) ran from October 11th to 15th. The event was held offline for the first time in 3 years of online-only presentations and brought a refreshing atmosphere to the city. It also started a wave of trends quite distinct from what we saw in New York, Paris, London, and Milan.
Seoul Fashion Week is as special as the others, as it has its own codes, celebrities, atmosphere, and, of course, looks! I was lucky enough to attend a few shows and wanted to round up the best highlights and impressions as a self-proclaimed Fashionista.
Seoul Fashion Week highlights
Seoul Fashion Week is a global fashion and business event hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government. Held in March and October, it aims at showcasing Korean designers to the global Fashion industry and is working towards becoming one of the world’s top five fashion weeks after New York, Paris, London, and Milan.
About Seoul Fashion Week
Korea’s top designers present their best collection each season, while the “Generation Next” program helps emerging brands propel themselves to the international level.
During the same period, Seoul Fashion Week hosts a trade show for buyers and other professionals. This trade show provides opportunities to connect Korean designer brands and overseas buyers to strengthen Seoul’s position as the hub of Asian fashion.
After three years of limited activity due to the pandemic, Seoul Fashion Week has made a flashy comeback on the scene.
Pre-Seoul Fashion Week Show
C-ZANN E
A few smaller brands showed their collections a few days before the official Fashion Week kick-off at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP). I had the honor of attending the C-ZANN E runway show in the Jongro district.
[source: Brigitte Ciss]
With simple but elegant lines, C-ZANNE highlighted Korean culture with revisited versions of the traditional Hanbok. Remixed wedding dresses, mini dresses with a rock n’ roll feel, and colorful, preppy skirt blazers made up this SS23 collection.
Menswear and unisex garments were part of the collection, and more casual versions of the classic kimono, as seen on the website.
Seoul Fashion Week Kick-off
SONGZIO
When Seoul Fashion Week officially started, SONGZIO’s show was the first that I was able to attend. This fashion House hosts 4 brands, including its flagship (SONGZIO), a high-end menswear brand (SONGZIO HOMME), a unisex streetwear brand (ZZERO), and a brand for younger customers (ZIOSONGZIO).
For this Spring/Summer season, SONGZIO married eastern and western designs and turned them into elegant Menswear that, to be frank, ladies could also make their own due to the fluidity of the garments.
The collection was based on contrasting colors and textures being fused together to create the art pieces that were shown and called “oriental avant-garde.” The reason for this appellation could be seen in the clothing, highlighting the beauty of duality.
Source: Songzio
Over 100 pieces were shown in 20 to 25 minutes, marking this first opening show as the longest of the season. The sheer variety of garments was impressive. The major model, such as Han Hye-jin, walked for the brand, showing its star power, with major celebrities also in attendance.
Check out other brands’ highlights here!
Greedilous
I was particularly excited to attend the Greedilous show, as I have heard about this brand on many platforms. It is loved by celebrities for its eclectic designs and flashy colors. I truly wanted to know what it was all about. And I was not disappointed!
The SS23 genderless collection was inspired by the movie “Back to the Future.” Also, the designer Younhee Park’s childhood memories and dreams, with a hopeful, adventurous attitude and unapologetic “bling” from the 80s.
Described as a retro-digital, the collection included the metaverse, Sci-Fi inspirations, and anime coming to life.
Source: Getty, Greedilous
To add to the “new-age meets retro” touch, the collection was developed with recycled fabric! You can see more highlights here!
SUNG JU
Sung Ju, on Day 3, was perhaps the most interesting collection I have seen to date.
Called “The Stranger,” Sung Ju’s 4th collection represented designer Lee Sung-Joo’s Seoul Fashion Week debut show.
The designer desired to capture memories of entering new and unfamiliar environments. For instance, as a student, with all the confusing emotions that come with it. If you are familiar with Korean culture, perhaps you will notice the heavy inspiration from the Korean melon or chamoe in the puffer jackets. They grazed the floors and hugged the body like comforters.
Neons and soccer shoes completed the varied looks. They had stars printed on the faces and bodies of certain models. It was not something for the faint of heart!
Sung Ju also vouched for sustainable fashion by using recycled and eco-friendly materials in most garments. This is always great to see on a larger scale.
Cahiers
I can say this confidently: Cahiers was my favorite collection this season. The designer’s goal has always been to create a comfortable fit with high-quality materials, offering an elegant silhouette without too much effort.
Source: Cahiers
The natural and innate elegance this time shone through with second-skin-like luxurious dresses. The flowy fabric with subtle details and the Bohemian theme perfectly matched the cruise season, while the draping made the collection ultra-feminine and light-hearted.
While ready-to-wear, the collection showed couture-like delicate details such as ruffles and appliqué. It was colorful without being in-your-face and stayed creative in the cutting and draping.
Overall, simplicity and elegance were overwhelmingly felt throughout this collection.
You can see more Cahiers highlights here!
How to attend Fashion Week runway shows
To attend Fashion Week, it is quite simple: the official Instagram page allows a registration period where anyone can send an email or DM the page, and they will give you instructions on how to attend each show.
In conclusion, Seoul Fashion Week was a great experience. Seeing established and emergent designers grow in creativity and support them from the sidelines is an amazing feeling, as if we were all part of their growth. I highly recommend this to those who love Fashion and want to get to know Korean trends better.
Check Seoul Fashion Week’s website for more highlights, schedules, and designer information. And for my full breakdown, you can check out this video!
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