Concept Korea A/W 2016: Spotlighting Global Projects on a NYC Stage.
This past Friday, I had the pleasure of sitting third row at the Concept Korea A/W 2016 Women’s Runway show at #NYFW. Prior to Friday, I hadn’t heard of the brand (which debuted in 2010) but as a budding “Koreaphile” I felt that attending this show might satisfy some of my interests in Korean culture through the lens of fashion. Korea is known for its impeccable taste in terms of fashion and beauty, so I wasn’t surprised at how well this brand’s visions were executed on the runway.
The womenswear collections were presented by two designers “Yohanix” by Tae-keun Kim and “Jarret” by Ji-yeon Lee, who presented the audience with two interpretations of “a woman in control” who was clad in military style garb, ready for a rock show who then whisked off for a night at the cabaret. The duality of these collections was quite obvious even down to the music chosen for each show, but seemed to coincide at the double-finale where all the looks brought together the bigger picture.
Yohanix, the standout of the two shows, emphasized a darker theme that featured fur, leather, and tweed — all embellished with a heavy (but very careful) hand. Kim was playful and experimental with the clothes, creating harmony out of mismatched fabrics, tones and textures, giving the show a rock ’n’ roll vibe and attitude akin to something one could experience at a brand like Saint Laurent.
From the Program
About Brand: There is always a dark sense of humor attached to Collection, playful but yet stylish. Unexpected combination of textile and details has been widely applied-texture leather, metallic embroidery, layered beads and prints have been all mixed in and merged with each other and harmony. YOHANIX signature combines heavy detail and strong structure emphasizing a special sense of sensuality and power. The brand focuses on playing with slash, layers and geometry shapes to create garments that are extraordinary visual excitement. It is visually reflected through collection by using luxurious fabrics, innovative details.
Jarret, by Ji-Yeon Lee was presented immediately after Yohanix and switched the vibe of the show to an upbeat, cabaret-inspired night out. Lee’s runway served just the amount of sex appeal we needed to balance out the punk femininity that we’d just seen in Yohanix. Here, the garments were focused in silk, tassels, hand-stitched lace and knits with a color pop and fur accents to give the collection a youthful, flirtatious edge. Topped off with some pretty precise tailoring, Jarret featured some elements of masculinity in the collection, slyly subverting a conventional idea of “sexy.”
From the program
About Brand: JARRET is the label that which focuses on solid feminine separates interspersed with masculine tailoring and playful details. The designer transforms pieces of Korean costumes and tailoring into unusual womenswear. With its unique aesthetic offers a modern interpretation of both masculinity and femininity by creating thought-provoking silhouetes through a concious cross-pollination between menswear and womenswear elements.
All photos courtesy of George Chinsee at Women’s Wear Daily
