Ten thousand saw I at a glance,Tossing their heads in sprightly dance...And then my heart with pleasure fills, And dances with the daffodils.(“Daffodils” by William Wordsworth)It’s been a rainy winter with early spring winds blowing away any remnants of fall leaves.Through it all, daffodils by the thousands emerge to remind you spring is here.Daffodils are easy, enjoyable and enchanting, looking like oversized cousins to the smaller buttercups that later fill meadows and open fields. Voles, squi

South Korea will showcase its traditional crafts at one of the world’s largest international furniture fairs set to open in Milan, Italy, next week, the culture ministry said Monday.The government-led exhibit, “Constancy and Change in Korean Traditional Craft 2013,” will be part of the Milan International Furniture Fair on April 9-14, the ministry said, adding that it will be the first time Korean crafts will be on display at the trade fair.The annual fair, also known as “Milan Design Week,” is

From sexy, bold looks to unique casual wear, designers offer choices galore at Seoul Fashion Week

LOS ANGELES (AP) ― Japanese architect Toyo Ito, whose buildings have been praised for their fluid beauty and balance between the physical and virtual world, has won the 2013 Pritzker Architecture Prize, the prize’s jury announced Sunday.The 71-year-old architect joins such masters as Frank Gehry, I.M. Pei, Tadao Ando, Renzo Piano and Wang Su in receiving the honor that’s been called architecture’s Nobel Prize. Ito, the sixth Japanese architect to receive the prize, was recognized for the librari

Five Korean fashion designers will stage a dynamic fashion show featuring traditional Korean music during New York Fashion Week next month. The 7th Concept Korea, to be held alongside the New York Fashion Week 2013 F/W collection, will feature five promising and established Korean designers including Kathleen Hanhee Kye, Kim Hongbum, Son Jung Wan, Lie Sang Bong and Choi Bo Ko who will showcase their collections at the Lincoln Center on Feb. 7. The designers, selected by fashion experts to repres

‘100 Architects of the Year 2012’ showcases works of best architects from around the world

LONDON (AFP) ― The Shard ― western Europe’s tallest skyscraper ― opens its viewing platform to the public on Feb. 1, giving unrivalled views over London and defiantly snubbing critics of the gigantic tower.The 310-meter Shard has been described as too tall, too futuristic, too likely to cast its shadow over London’s historic monuments ― and too costly at a time of austerity, even though 95 percent of its 450 million pounds ($727 million) cost has been financed by Qatar.William Matthews, project

BEIJING (AFP) ― Already famed for fake designer bags and pirated DVDs, imitation in China may have reached new heights with a set of towers that strongly resemble ones designed by renowned architect Zaha Hadid.A developer in the southwestern city of Chongqing is putting up buildings that share the distinctive round contours and white stripes of a 39-floor shopping and office complex conceived by the British-Iraqi designer and being built in Beijing.The magazine China Intellectual Property noted

Designer Lee Hye-soon crosses boundary of hanbok and artwork

Seoul Fashion Week presents soft femininity beneath clean, simple looks for the 2013 spring and summer season

Famous fashion stylist Patricia Field, who served as a costume designer for “Sex and the City” and “The Devil Wears Prada,” hosted a Korean fashion event last Thursday in New York. The celebrated stylist attracted more than 200 people in the fashion industry to the event titled “K-fashion Sensation” held at Dream Hotel, a modern luxury hotel in Manhattan, and introduced Korean fashion brands by having models wear clothes designed by Korean brands such as Buckaroo and Morine Comte Marant.The even

Daeyang Gallery and House has won the 2012 Emirates Glass LEAF Awards, a prestigious international architecture award that recognizes innovative architectural design. The private art gallery and house won in the category of Mixed-Use Buildings of the Year for its “intriguing combination of commercial and living accommodation on a grand scale,” according to the jury. The LEAF award is given by the Leading European Architects Forum, which was founded in 2001.  The gallery, designed by New York-bas

The future for young Korean designers in film concept design is bright as film production sites move from Hollywood to other countries, according to Korean-American concept designer Steve Jung. “Koreans have this excellent dexterity and a special talent in design. They are already showing outstanding performance in video game design,” said Jung at a lecture on concept design for films at the Herald Design Forum on Friday. “What they need is more confidence. Many students ask me whether they can