Concept Korea Spring 2013: Veterans and newcomers

The designer lineup for Concept Korea Spring/Summer 2013 included a combination of newcomers and veterans celebrating the country’s five national colors, which symbolize elements of nature: iron, trees, water, fire and the ground.

The semi-annual New York Fashion Week collective is the currently the only way to take in select designs of Lie Sang Bong, who normally shows his full ready-to-wear women’s offerings in Paris.

“This Spring/Summer collection was inspired by butterflies, which represent transformation,” said Nana Lee, the creative director of the designer’s New York office. “So we were very fascinated with retro images – old pictures of our mothers wearing very funky dresses from the ’60s – and we wanted to use that transformation, about how old retro elements become very modern architecture and [a] sculptural collection.”

Video: Interview with Nana Lee, Concept Korea VI, New York Fashion Week Spring 2013

interview and video by Yuan-Kwan Chan / Meniscus Magazine

One of the newcomers was Kim Hong-bum, the head of label Cres. E. Dim., and his debut was most impressive. Kim has rapidly risen up the fashion ranks in the four years since he was eliminated early in the first-ever “Project Runway Korea.” He already has two boutiques in Seoul, and even more astonishing was that the reality TV show was the first time he had attempted to put his fashion out to the public.

“With “Project Runway,” it was my opportunity to put my name out there,” Kim said. “With my three collections in Seoul, and going through some hard times and good times, I got the mass media’s opinion and perspective, and it brought me this far. So I’m very grateful.”

“My main theme is “extreme weather,”” Kim said of his collection. “I was combining hurricanes and other disastrous events, so I could come up with sharp looks in my whole collection.”

Video: Interview with Cres. E Dim. designer Kim Hong-bum

interview by Yuan-Kwan Chan / Meniscus Magazine
video by Inga Vascenkova / Meniscus Magazine

The other designers showing at Concept Korea VI were Son Jung Wan, who typically follows the presentation in New York with a solo runway show (and another show later in the season in Seoul); veteran Choiboko; and Kathleen Kye, eliminated in the first round of the same “Project Runway Korea” season that Kim was a part of, proving that bowing out early can actually be auspicious.

All five designers are expected to present at the next edition of Concept Korea at the New York Fall 2013 collections.

Photo Gallery: Concept Korea VI – Spring/Summer 2013
all photos by Kwai Chan / Meniscus Magazine