[Best Brand] Promising designer Ye Myung-ji inspired by Korean traditional ornaments, birth of universe

JEWELRY
YEMYUNGJI

Jewelry brand Yemyungji is coming to prominence on the global stage with unique design collections that reflect traditional Korean ornaments and the birth of the universe.

Founded by designer Ye Myung-ji in 1998, the jewelry brand has established its uniqueness, showcasing signature design collections such as “Line,” “Space,” “Mineral,” and “Tradition” inspired by the nature, tradition and universe.

Ye reinterpreted Korea’s traditional ornaments in a contemporary way for her tradition collection that includes “Soaring,” a hair ornament piece that resembles traditional Korean hairpin “binyeo” used for hairstyles of married women.

Inspired by the birth of the universe, Ye created mineral collection of jewelry, naming the pieces Big Bang, Galaxy, Great impact, Pangea and Ice Age. The collection reflects diverse movements found in nature such as water drop and wave crashing to the beach. Ye’s signature gold-knitted designs are part of the brand’s space collection that was inspired by the nature.

Yemyungji’s originality has been acknowledged globally through overseas exhibitions in 2019. The brand participated in jewelry shows around the world, including one held at the Korean Cultural Center in Brazil in November 2019 and shows in Venice, Italy, in October.

Yemyungji has collaborated with other brands, including MCM for a limited edition jewelry bag in 2009, Lotte from 2008 to 2011 and Polo Ralph Lauren in 2001.

“The core of luxury designs lies in humanism,” Ye said of her design philosophy. “I hope Yemyungji brand will lead K-luxury and provide vitality to the people around the world.”

In 2019, the jewelry brand was listed on the “100 important jewelry brands” by Solitaire Magazine, a major jewelry magazine in Asia, as the lone Korean brand.

Ye is also a professor at Hanyang University Design College. Her jewelry design philosophy came from her father who was a mine operator and her mother who is a historian and traditional Korean jewelry designer. 

(khnews@heraldcorp.com)