Wearable, practical clothes focus of latest collections

Fall and winter clothes from Steve J & Yoni P, one of the hottest affordable womenswear labels in Seoul, were shown off during Seoul fashion week. The theme for this season was “Classic Meets Punk”. Provided by the organizer

The nation’s biggest biannual fashion week ?ended Saturday. Entitled 2013 F/W Seoul Collection Blue Square?, a total of 75 shows were staged for six days.

Of the 75 shows, a majority of shows at IFC Mall, Yeouido, western Seoul were ?sponsored mainly by the Seoul Metropolitan Government while other shows that were staged at Blue Square, Hannam-dong, central Seoul were funded by veteran designers such as Lie Sang-bong and Gee Chun-hee.

Since the main venue of the fashion week has become a lot bigger compared to the previous season, almost every show offered a lot to enjoy along with their clothes.

For example, a huge grand piano was installed in the middle of the catwalk and models strutted to live music played by a pianist during a show of womenswear label Steve J & Yoni P.

Being one of the most popular shows during the fashion week, Steve J & Yoni P, a label made by a designer duo, tweaked classical check and herringbone patterns by accenting them with funk elements. For example, Swarovski elements were used instead of tough-looking studs when adorning classical check patterns.

The collection of Lie Sang-bong, famous for his Korean alphabet hangul calligraphy design, also didn’t disappoint his fans by coming up with fall and winter collections themed with traditional Korean window frames.

However, traces of longer-than-expected economic depression were quite visible from almost every show.

“You probably noticed it but many designers cared about the global recession”, said designer Hong Hye-jin, a face behind womenswear label The Studio K.

“For this reason, most of them came up with quite practical and wearable clothes for the fall and winter season and it made me sell more clothes, actually”, added Hong.

Since Seoul fashion week comes after major fashion weeks in New York, London, Milan and Paris, most buyers visit Seoul after they almost finished their buying for the upcoming season. For this reason, Seoul fashion week often comes under fire for failing its primary function: a business platform which connects buyers and designers.

But budding designers said they could meet new buyers this season.

Yoni Pai of Steve J & Yoni P said she saw more buyers this season. “We have new buyers every season, which is good for us and some of buyers were from 10 Corso Como China and Harvey Nichols Hong Kong”.

During the fashion week, fashion celebrities such as Jean-Pierre Mocho, the president of Federation Francaise du Pret-a-porter Feminin, and Fern Mallis, who was the executive director of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, also visited?.

Mocho, who watched a couple of shows including that of Lie Sang-bong, told local media that “The entire level of Korean fashion has been upgraded a lot as young designers know how to choose the right fabrics”.

One chaotic side of the fashion week was lack of organization. The Seoul fashion week sold tickets to ordinary people who wished to get a glimpse of designer clothes but most of them failed to be seated as designers, public relations companies of the fashion week and the Seoul Metropolitan Government all issued invitations and tickets of their own and failed to predict exact demands.