Seoul fashion week dogged by split between designers
Blaring music, neon lights and fashion models on a distant stage at City Hall Plaza on Sunday evening were loud enough to attract weekend strollers nearby, but the special event, hosted by the Seoul metropolitan government and the Seoul Fashion Center, as an opener for the 2008 Spring/Summer Seoul Collections, did little to serve its purpose ― which was to promote a fashionable image of Korea.After four years of peaceful coexistence, the Seoul Collections and the Seoul Fashion Artists Association, the country’s oldest private fashion group, have decided to go their separate ways ― the association announced earlier this month that its 27 designers would drop out of the semi-annual event.
That leaves just 35 designers over eight days for this season’s Seoul Fashion Week, which kicked off last Friday at the Seoul Trade, Exhibition & Convention Center in southern Seoul.
The dispute between the Seoul Collections, supported by the Seoul metropolitan government, and the country’s oldest fashion group dates back to 2000, when the government and its agency organized Korea’s first legitimate international collections without including SFAA members, who are established designers. The SFAA eventually put politics aside and joined the Collections in 2003, making the event more comprehensive, but the group maintained its independence during the Fashion Week.
As a way to improve Korea’s image abroad, the government has steadily increased its budget for fashion; this year an unprecedented 4 billion won ($4.5 million) has been allocated. And more money, it seems, means more politics.
Earlier this year, the organizers of the Seoul Collections and the SFAA encountered discord when discussing the setup for this year’s shows.
The SFAA members and city officials both issued press releases telling their side of the story. But nothing seemed to ease the tension; the mood at the recent Seoul Fashion Week press conference was decidedly chilly.
Will the feud ever stop?
When it comes to the future, everyone seemed to share the same hope: one day Korea will have a united fashion week. Jeong Sun-gu, director-general of the Industry Bureau, who represents the Seoul metropolitan government, said he was looking for practical ways to embrace the designers of various associations, foreign buyers and the press, who have different needs.
The SFAA will now stage their own shows next month. However, Chang Kwang-hyo, a SFAA member, remains positive. “Yes, we will have to do it all together ―?eventually,” he said.
For the moment, the Collections organizers are eager to please the public ― and their superiors by organizing a reality TV show and a festival right in front of the City Hall. Jeong is adamant that fashion is not just for the privileged few but for all.
For the Seoul Collections runs until Friday. For timetables, visit the Web site, www.seoulcollection.org.
By Ines Cho Contributing Writer
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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