Next wave of Korean designers join New York Fashion Week

Next wave of Korean designers join New York Fashion Week. July. 15, 2015 07:15. bookum90@donga.com.

"When fashion models put on clothes they look gorgeous, but when ordinary person wears the same clothes they don`t look the same. I don`t want to design that kind of clothes."

Designers Kang Dong-joon of Korea`s fashion brand DBYD and Jang Hyeong-cheol of Ordinary People are attending the "2016 Mens SS Season" of the New York Fashion Week, one of the four major global fashion shows, from Tuesday to Friday. At a press seminar held Tuesday afternoon in a Korean restaurant in Korea Town in Manhattan, both men spoke about their design principle.

Kang said, "Compared to (other major fashion week events in) Paris, Milano and London, the New York fashion event is more commercial and for the general public. I focused on making clothes that everyone can wear comfortably and that can sell well." Jang said, "I reject clothes that look gorgeous on runways at fashion shows but are uncomfortable when actually worn by people. I tried to design clothes comfortable to wear but not obvious and ordinary."

Recently, the global fashion market is turning attention on the so-called "grooming" men that refers to men actively investing on beauty and dress up. The New York Fashion Week for the first time this year separated men`s wear show from the main show. The two Korean designers passed the "Concept Korea" competition held to help Korean designers advance into the U.S. market. The event was held aiming the New York Fashion Week. Global fashion firm IMG`s consultant Simon Collins who joined as a foreign panel said, "We focused on discovering designers who had brand individuality and uniqueness."