Interview With Korean Fashion Designers In Britain And America: Women Who Make Men'S Wear

In the Korean fashion circle, born in 1959, there were many "first" achievements in Britain and America: the first Korean designer to design men's wear, the first Korean designer to walk in Paris, the first Korean designer to join the French fashion Union. In recent years, she ushered in the accession of her daughter Katie Chung, creating the first "mother daughter design portfolio" of Seoul fashion circle.

Interviews with Anglo American and Katie were conducted in shops in the south of Seoul. Daughter Katie came first. She was dressed very simply: black sweater and black trousers. After sitting down, she ordered a cup of iced coffee. In Britain and America, after half an hour's arrival, the dress is also plain colored: white T-shirt, black trousers, a black windbreaker, and a serious expression. She asked her assistant to take a cup of hot tea.

When the mother came, Katie said something less. Instead of preemptive speaking, she tends to supplement her mother's answer. Although in many details of life, the Katie that had studied in London for a long time has been Europeanized, the respect of the elders to the elders is still vividly reflected in her.

The four storey building called "Man Made Wooyoungmi" has become a famous landmark in Seoul since its completion. The first floor is a coffee shop with artwork display area (Yu Yingmei is keen to collaborate with artists. From the 2012 spring summer series, she has worked with artists from 6 different countries). The third floor of the two floor shows the Wooyoungmi season series, and the four floor belongs to the Solid Homme which was settled in February last year.

In fact, the Solid Homme, which was the last to be settled, was the first brand launched in Britain and the United States at the beginning of the industry. In 1988, he graduated from Seoul University in England and America and founded the company "Solid Corporation". In the same year, she created the men's clothing brand "Solid Homme" and opened a boutique in Seoul. Since then, she has made many "first" in Korean fashion circles: Korea's first female designer who designs men's wear, the first Korean designer to walk in Paris, the first Korean designer to join the French fashion Union.

In 2002, the brand "Wooyoungmi" was established in Paris and Anglo American, and began to be released in Paris men's wear week. Four years later, the first "Wooyoungmi" store opened in Paris. So far, as a member of the French fashion Union, she has been fighting for nearly seven years in Paris men's wear week. Wooyoungmi also has a place in the Paris men's clothing industry.

In British and American works, the colors are fresh and elegant, revealing the sexuality of a boy. A discerning eye can recognize her style at a glance. "Designers, who are bold enough, but have little executive power, are convinced by her fashionable ideas and perfect presentation in Britain and America." This is the commentary of Paris fashion critics.

In England and America, with a heart of wanderers, Han Guogang showed her pioneering spirit when she was on her way. This has nothing to do with her growing environment. She was born in 1959. Shortly after the end of the Korean civil war, the domestic political situation was unsettled. Growing up in Britain and America in a special era, it has an independent and courageous character and is the first to take the lead in the career. In 1993, the Korean fashion circle gradually gained a foothold and launched a "new wave" movement in Seoul with friends from Britain and the United States. They do their own show, and provide a platform for young people with design dreams. This platform is the predecessor of today's fashion week in Seoul. Speaking of the past, he said in Britain and America: "at that time, it was a spirit of courage."

Her daughter Katie has an excellent and stable growth environment compared with the one who has won success in Britain and America. In Britain and America, she tried to take Katie to work with her in order to take care of her daughter. Katie grew up in the fabric pile. Her toys were cloth that was stacked in the house. It used to be a small house. When Solid Homme was founded, Katie, now two years old, was often covered under cloth. "Maybe that's why my daughter is interested in fashion." Smiling in Britain and America. When the time was ripe, Katie was sent to London by her mother and later went to the Saint Martin Institute of art. Almost at that time, the British and American stores opened in Paris. After graduating from University, Katie returned to Seoul and became the mother's right arm at work.

However, until the spring and summer series was released in 2015, Katie was truly involved in brand design. Speaking of her previous experience, she said humbly, "at that time, I didn't really know how to help my mother do some chores."

If the 2014 autumn and winter series is about the state of men - a rigorous man visiting the art gallery, then the 2015 spring and summer series is designed to show men's attitude - a carefree, witty and lovable man. There is a clear demarcation line between the two series: in Britain and America, men who like elegance, young Katie tend to be more casual and fashionable. "The man was not bound by nine to five attire." Katie said. Along the sunny coastline, the man stroll on the cool wooden plank road, and the casual attitude makes people heartbeat. The hat is slightly lowered, and the loose coat is loosely tied to the waist. He has no restrictions and boundaries in his dressing style. He can wear his favorite printed T-shirt, with expensive jackets and loose trousers, with lazy steps.

Speaking of the new series, in Britain and the United States: "Katie's accession is undoubtedly a challenge. I know that the outside world's evaluation is mixed, but these can serve as a reference for us to explore the future direction. At the same time, she categorically said: "a brand has become more young, it is undoubtedly a good thing." As a family business, its biggest strength is stability, but stability is also a double-edged sword. When all brands are developing in recent years, the emergence of Katie is timely.

Katie, who soon became a brand art director, admitted that he was under a lot of pressure. "I have been working with my mother, accustomed to this state, as if I were born. I knew very early about how hard my mother worked. At that time, I often treated her work in a trial manner. But now, let me play a series on my own, I start to be afraid. " Katie said her fear was "sudden." "I don't want to change the brand's DNA." Katie said, looking sideways at her mother's face. "People will see the new DNA merge with the classics of the past." In Britain and America added, "this is an interesting journey."

Wooyoungmi2015 spring and summer men's show backstage. This is the debut of British and American daughter Katie Chung as creative director. Although she did not create a completely unknown way, from the production to the finished products, we can see that Wooyoungmi is working more carefully, while the brand DNA is also more young.

The core of family business

In Asian fashion circles, successful women designers are rare. Even in the global fashion industry, female designers engaging in men's wear design are rare. Wooyoungmi is no doubt young, compared to all the old fashions that have been established in the golden age and developed in the age of superiority. However, the brand's appearance in a short period of time has made the older generation in the fashion circle look at it. Its advantage is obvious: Asians are very different from westerners, and they know Asian fashion appeal better in Britain and America.

"The core idea of my design comes from architectural art." Yu Yingmei said. The father of architectural design is the best source of inspiration in her mind. At a very young age, she began to frequent architectural art. 2014 in the autumn and winter series, the different interpretations of the circle convey her sensitivity to architectural art.

As a new wave of Korean fashion circles, British and American have already abandoned geographical and cultural differences, making the design more modern. Although European market attitudes towards Asian designers have become more open and tolerant, they have been thinking about how to win the European market by their works. "The image of Wooyoungmi is the ideal image between puberty and adult males." "At the same time, my strongest inspiration comes from art and culture," she said. "I believe fashion can also help people escape from the common customs. That is why Wooyoungmi attaches great importance to cooperation with artists. Art plays an important role in sharing the concept of brand to a wider audience. " For some men, fashion can also be regarded as a small investment, and a man can get some pleasure from his new look.

Interviewed by British and American daughter Katie at the "Man Made Wooyoungmi" store in Seoul, behind the two artists is Cuban artist Guerra de la Paz, who created 2014 autumn and winter advertisements for Wooyoungmi.

With the expansion of the brand in the world, the entry of Katie is also reasonable. "When she was studying in England, I began to want to run a show in Paris. When I first showed up in Paris, no one knew us. Katie came from London to Paris to help. This is her first show. Now, I pass on this brand through my daughter. Although we have already made a mark in Paris, this brand wants to go further, and it needs her joining and efforts. " The 56 year old said in Britain and America, "I will retire one day, and Katie will take over the brand." She revealed that for the 2015 spring and summer series, her daughter spent a whole year designing and producing. "I am proud of her." At the same time, she said, "whenever Katie needs me, I will come back to work -- for this brand."

In a family business, brand is like a link, connecting all people. For Anglo American and Katie, this brand is not just a "mother daughter designer". All women work together here to form a collection of women's strength. Just as male designers are accustomed to designing clothes for women through imagination, in Wooyoungmi, women dress for male designers by imagination. Just like returning to matriarchal society, they have the right to speak.