Seoul Fashion Week puts Korea on catwalk

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Seoul Fashion Week puts Korea on catwalk

With the regular Spring and Summer Seoul Fashion Week ready to kick off in less than two weeks, the Korean fashion industry is seeing bright light with more and more international buyers and press paying attention to the show compared to last season.

“The global market is starting to view Seoul Fashion Week from a different angle,” said Jung Ku-ho, the director of Spring/Summer 2017 Hera Fashion Week, at the press conference held on Wednesday. “Up until last season, we had to ask foreign press and buyers four to five times to come to the show. But things have changed this time.”

“More and more international press and buyers have requested to come to Seoul, and we even had to tell some that our budget couldn’t hold this many guests. There are also those who have confirmed to come at their own expense.”

Out of the 70 foreign press members showing up at this season’s fashion week, the expenditures for only 20 will be covered by the event’s budget, according to Jung. He also added that the rising international interest stems from the young and lively mood of Seoul Fashion Week and Korean fashion itself.

“Fashion shows in other nations are mostly filled with professional visitors in their 30s or 40s,” said Jung. “But in Korea, it’s easy to spot young men and women roaming around the venue in trendy clothes.”

“Foreign press and fashion figures view this phenomenon with much interest. They like how so many young Koreans are attracted by fashion, and how Korean fashion focuses on harmonizing its characteristic street fashion with high-end fashion.”

Amid the growing interest in Korean fashion worldwide, Jung emphasized that fashion week is aiming to provide Korean designers a chance to enter the global market. Continuing the fashion trade show that Seoul Fashion Week tried out last season, called Generation Next Seoul, organizers are expecting over 200 local and international buyers to participate in the upcoming event.

Among other big names, Selfridges London is coming to take in products for its pop-up store planned for January 2017.

Selfridges is to open a pop-up store for “Seoul’s 10 Soul”, a Seoul Metropolitan Government-sponsored project group of 10 rising and talented Korean designers.

“For the ‘Seoul’s 10 Soul’ pop-up store events held earlier this year in Paris and Milan, the shops received rental fees for selling the clothes there,” said Jung. “But this time, Selfridges is taking in the products for itself.”

BY SHON JI-HYE [shon.jihye@joongang.co.kr]
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