Juun.J, one of the few Korean brands participating in Paris Fashion Week, has rolled out fresh spring and summer looks for 2014. The collection featured a mix of classic tailoring with sporty looks, challenging typical designs of menswear collections. The 38 pieces included variations of oversized sweatshirts with bold numbers emblazoned on them, high-waisted pants and photo-printed graphic sweatshirts. The spring and summer looks were put together under the theme “ununiform,” coined by the desi

Young Korean designers caught the eyes of fashion hunters at a prestigious Italian menswear trade show, receiving large orders and an offer of store space. Three menswear clothing brands ― Bastong, Westage and Instantology ― and eyewear brand grafik plastic showcased their designs to international buyers and press during Pitti Uomo, the world’s largest menswear trade show, from June 18-21 in Florence, Italy. The total amount of orders is expected to be $270,000, according to the Korea Creative C

Korean fast fashion brands are expanding overseas, hoping that tailoring items for Asian consumers will be a winning strategy. Korean fashion retailer E.Land Group has taken an aggressive lead, opening Japanese and Chinese stores of its women’s apparel brand Mixxo in March and May, respectively. In China, Mixxo has stores in Super Brand Mall in Shanghai, a prime retail spot, directly competing with fast fashion brands such as Spain’s Zara, Sweden’s H&M and Japan’s Uniqlo. Riding on the back of K

NEW YORK (AP) ― The big winners at the Council of Fashion Designers of America awards on Monday night were Proenza Schouler for womenswear, Thom Browne for menswear and Phillip Lim for accessories, but the crowd seemed to have the most love for Hillary Rodham Clinton.Clinton received a standing ovation at the Lincoln Center ceremony before she presented the CFDA’s highest honor, its Founder’s Award, to Oscar de la Renta, whom she called “a dear friend.’’ She recounted first meeting him as first

Fashion magazine Bazaar recently released a series of photos featuring South Korean actress Hwang Jung-eum.Photos courtesy of Bazaar.    

Charity catwalks add a sense of competition among designers

Designer Moon Young Hee is a rare example in the Korean fashion scene: a designer with a unique perspective who has been presenting her signature style to the global audience every season at Paris Fashion Week since 1996. In recognition of her persistent efforts and fresh input to the Parisian fashion world, Moon received the National Order of Merit, one of the highest honors given by the French government, on Tuesday in Seoul. “Putting on shows for 18 years has been a difficult task. It’s reall

A group of Korean designers will present their collections at one of Asia’s biggest fashion showcases in Singapore this month. Twelve young designers and Lee Suktae will attend the Asia Fashion Exchange from May 13-19 in Singapore that will gather international and Asian designer brands from all over the world. Young designers’ brands such as J Apostrophe, J KOO, KYE, Leyii, Navy Scandal and One Choi will present their pre-spring collection for 2014 to international buyers and press at the Blue

With Psy’s “Gentleman” music video being watched by hundreds of millions of people around the world, some of the spots where the video was shot are receiving worldwide attention. The spots currently in the limelight include 10 Corso Como Seoul, a multi-brand branch store of Milan’s famous shopping and dining complex offering designer clothes, beauty products and design objects. In the earlier part of the music video, Psy is featured dancing in the Cheongdam-dong store, surrounded by other cast m

LISBON (AFP) ― From vintage sardine tins and embroidered napkins to artisanal soaps, Portugal’s retro products are winning new fans as a handful of companies introduce their old-school aesthetic to the international market.“The Americans have McDonald’s ― we’ve got tinned fish,” jokes Tiago Cabral Ferreira at the Conserveira de Lisboa shop which has sold sardines, mackerel and other canned fish from the heart of Lisbon’s old town for the past 83 years. And it’s the retro-styled tins, with their

Touch of femininity, shot of unseasonal colors lighten the mood in menswear collections at Seoul Fashion Week

CHESSY, France (AP) ― Forever-young Minnie Mouse is growing up and moving on from her old red and white polka dots.Lanvin has designed the loveable Disney rodent a new dress ― a more mature frock in royal blue and long sleeves that she can wear at special Paris events.It was unveiled at a catwalk show in Disneyland Paris on Saturday evening.Gone was the oversized hair bow that has been the signature of the character since she was created in 1928. In its place, the catwalk presentation showcased

Seoul’s fashionistas will get a preview of what’s hot and in for the fall/winter season next week when the 2013 F/W Seoul Fashion Week kicks off on March 25.Some 75 shows will be presented by both established and up-and-coming designers during the week-long celebration of fashion.Some of the leading designers participating include Lie Sang Bong, Gee Chun-hee, Chang Kwang-hyo and Song Zio, while 12 young designers will present their innovative designs and creativity at the “Generation Next” shows