Galaxy Z Flip appeals to fashion crowd in New York

SAN FRANCISCO -- After the big reveal of the impressive Galaxy Z Flip at Unpacked, Samsung Electronics’ smartphone business head Roh Tae-moon on Wednesday flew to New York to attend an exclusive event hosted by Thom Browne, the company’s new partner.

Roh was invited by the New York-based fashion company as one of the guests for an event prepared for the Fashion Week. 

The Samsung executive’s participation in the fashion industry’s major show was made based on the collaboration of both companies for the Galaxy Z Flip phone.

By announcing the Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition at Unpacked, Samsung highlighted its concept for the new foldable gadget: high technology meets high fashion.

“Galaxy Z Flip is going to be an icon for fashion,” Roh said at a press conference Tuesday. “It is also our future direction to make foldable phones fashionable and stylish, allowing users to boast their styles.”

Samsung also held a separate event to show the Galaxy Z Flip Thom Browne Edition that features the brand’s signature pattern of red, white and blue on the gray exterior at Sotheby’s New York.

A commercial for the edition aired at Times Square in New York.

Samsung tried to embrace Thom Browne’s design aspects and keep them intact, said Kim Tae-joong, vice president in charge of Galaxy Z Flip’s design.

“We tried to make the signature three-color line as real as possible even on the glass part of the device,” he said. “Users would feel like touching real textiles.”

The Thom Browne Edition consisting of the Galaxy Z Flip, Galaxy Buds Plus and Galaxy Watch Active 2 will be available in March in Korea and the US. It comes in a box including a pebbled gray leather cover for the smartphone.

It is expected to be priced at around 3 million won ($2,540).

By Song Su-hyun (song@heraldcorp.com)
Korea Herald correspondent