Gangnam Style - The Seoul of Korean Fashion

Ko Tae-yong. Choi Chul-yong. Kang Dong-jun. Choi Bum-suk. Sheen Je-hee. Lee Suk-tae. Lee Seung-hee. Im Seon-oc. Steve J. & Yoni P. Hong Hye-jin. 

Did you get all that? To the simple-syllabic minds of English speaking readers, these names could translate as difficult sounds, but the titles you just attempted to read are the names of Korea's top 10 fashion designers of 2012, chosen by the Metropolitan Government program Seoul's 10 Soul, which kicked off in 2009, now in it's third running year. This initiative offers the chance to debut independent fashion designers and grant them financial support in creating new styles, hoping to reach international attention.

North Korea has projected depictions of extremism and political controversy, casting a thick shadow over South Korea, and any media opportunities towards creative claims and achievements to be celebrated. Through creative outlets, it's really not so hard to see the crossover between one nations artists and designers versus another. The styles themselves are solid and concrete, mimicking the force of manmade structures and architectural feats, paired with the androgynous touch of natural motion. The pieces themselves are almost uniformly soft and dynamic in flow, juxtaposed by neutral and mostly cold colors. Steve J. & Yoni P seem to be an exception to this rule, opting for bright poppy colors, with the capacity to shock while capturing a stylistic grace. 

The goal within the Seoul's 10 Soul initiative is to reach the standards of large name houses such as Louis Vuitton and Chanel by 2020. This will not only generate a new appeal towards Korea, shifting the focus to the more youth-oriented, but also aid in Korean commerce, building revenue in a globally minded arena and bridging the gaps between cultures.

If you happen to be in Paris this month, you'll be just in time to see the debut of the womenswear collection on display at the Seoul's 10 Soul showroom, Acrex. The men's collection, having already run it's course in Paris throughout July, will be in the Milan sister-showroom in October. 

Below are some designs by a few of this years winners:

By Ko Tae-yong

    By Choi Chul-yong

By Sheen Je-hee

By Lee Suk-tae

By Im Seon-oc

By Steve J. & Yoni P

By Hong Hye-jin

For more details, visit the official twitter page of Seouls' 10 Soul. 

_________________________________________________