Collaboration with fashion designers growing trend in manufacturing

Product collaborations with fashion brands continue to be popular in the local manufacturing industry, with a growing number of consumers looking to own unique items.

Samsung Electronics, the country’s tech giant, said Friday it has launched a limited edition of Galaxy Z Flip 4, Galaxy Watch 5 series and Buds 2 designed by a local fashion brand Juun.J.

The Juun.J edition Galaxy Z Flip 4 comes in two colors – graphite and phantom black -- with an all-black leather case, a shoulder bag and an S pen, priced at 1.5 million won ($1,063) and 2.19 million won. The original price of the mobile phone is 1.4 million won, according to the Samsung Electronics website.

Galaxy Watch 5 Pro black titanium and Watch 5 graphite come along with a leather strap and a wireless charger. The limited edition is priced between 369,000 won and 569,000 won.

The Buds 2 Pro are available in graphite color with a leather cover and pouch. The price is 329,000 won.

“The collaboration between South Korea’s top smart device and fashion brand gave birth to this noteworthy item. It will be the best option for consumers seeking to show their true colors and differentiate themselves with others,” said Chung Wook-jun, a creative director at Juun.J, in a statement.

The Seoul branch of global carmaker McLaren also rolled out “GT Art Car” designed by Kim Rieul, a modern hanbok outfit designer who dressed BTS and other famous celebrities.

Inspired by the country’s traditional culture, the art car will be at the forefront of reaching out to Korean customers by sharing our brand’s philosophy, the company said. The car is not for sale but will be used for marketing purposes.

The exterior of GT car is wrapped in white and is covered in pine trees, cranes and mountains using ink-and-wash painting, one of the traditional art forms of Korea.

The interior is designed in glamorous traditional patterns. On the ceiling, there are several crane shaped cushions made of cutting-edge materials like Geonic, a composite of artificial leather and polyurethan, developed by Kolon Glotech, a car seat fabric maker under Kolon Group.

The car's gearbox, handles and plastic panel near the center console are covered with traditional artwork using pearls, while the wheels feature wintertime tree branch images.

The art car will appear in photo shoots and exhibitions soon, the company said.

Experts say many companies are joining hands with designers to capture the eyes of consumers wanting to own a one-of-a-kind item.

“Combining technology and luxury design offers a unique experience to consumers looking to identify themselves with the brand’s luxury image. To them, smart devices or other products are more than just practical items but a way to show their own fashion identity,” said Lee Eun hee, a consumer professor at Inha University.

By Byun Hye-jin (hyejin2@heraldcorp.com)