Everything
As of 2022, South Korea spent the most on luxury fashion per capita, but this didn’t happen overnight. In the early 2000s, offline boutiques that stocked overseas brands captivated Korean consumers, while the influx of fast-fashion brands introduced competitive pricing and designs, exposing the vulnerability of domestic brands. Then, in the 2010s, global online jik-gu – overseas direct buying – platforms emerged, making international designer brands readily available to Korea. A new Korean consumer in sync with global trends and with serious purchasing power was born. Over the last decade, we’ve seen yet another shift, and consumers who used to look outside of Korea for luxury clothing are now firmly focused within its own borders.
The best Korean fashion brands harmoniously meld multiple genres and subcultures, spotlighting the country’s cosmopolitan character. In the realm of K-fashion, the only constant is where it’s made. When speaking about South Korean clothing brands, it’s impossible to overlook their agile fashion production systems. Focused in Seoul but distributed throughout South Korea, ateliers and factories form a strong foundation for Korean luxury fashion, facilitating the development of collections known for precision and quality.
The world of Korean clothing brands is rich and multifaceted, from ready-to-wear labels like Wooyoungmi making their mark on the schedule of Paris Fashion Week to rising brands setting trends in techwear and gorpcore. Here are our favourites driving the fashion world.
ADER Error | Founded: 2014 | Seoul
@ader_error
Among the best-known Korean clothing brands, ADER Error has devised a distinctive aesthetic based around primary colours and heavy use of logos. The anonymous collective is made up of graphic designers, illustrators, architects, and more, which explains the broad spectrum of inspirations and perfect execution.
AMOMENTO | Founded: 2016 | Seoul
@amomento.co
AMOMENTO is a refreshingly simple proposition in 2023. Focusing closely on silhouette, colour, and texture, the label’s collections are easy to wear and straight to the point. Spanning accessories and women’s ready-to-wear, AMOMENTO is an easy way to introduce a Korean label into your daily looks.
Andersson Bell | Founded: 2014 | Seoul
@anderssonbell
As the name suggests, Andersson Bell finds inspiration in Scandinavian design. Interpreting the clean finishes and muted hues of the Scandi aesthetic with a modern Korean mindset, the label finds harmony in opposites: Classic shapes are subverted with neon colour palettes, patchwork, and the like.
Dunst | Founded: 2019 | Seoul
@dunst_official
Dunst – which means “immaterial” – looks beyond gender to find universally desirable shapes and palettes. While doing so, though, the label takes inspiration from traditional themes like prep to create an attractively incongruous aesthetic; one that has all the hallmarks of a future classic.
HGBB STUDIO | Founded: 2019 | Copenhagen and Seoul
@hgbbstudio
HGBB STUDIO was founded by Danish streetwear aficionado Tobias Billetoft and Korean designer Sangchan Lee and combines those regional influences smoothly, as the two abide by similar ideals. HGBB STUDIO collections find their foundation in utilitarian shapes built with an eye for stylistic flourishes in terms of fabric and detail.
Hyein Seo | Founded: 2014 | Seoul
@hyeinantwerp
Hyein Seo began to build interest while still studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, and went on to found her namesake brand with cofounder Jino Lee in 2014. At once technical, sexy, delicate, and witty, Hyein Seo collections present a view of modern youth culture in their ability to adopt disparate references and create one harmonious whole.
J KOO | Founded: 2010 | Seoul
@jkoo_official
Husband-and-wife duo Yeonjoo Koo and Jinwoo Choi founded J KOO in 2010 after meeting while studying at London’s Central Saint Martins. Borrowing much of its style from classic men’s tailoring, J KOO has become a standout show at Seoul Fashion Week thanks to its unique take on masculine-feminine duality.
J.Kim | Founded: 2014 | Tashkent
@j.kim
Born in Uzbekistan to Korean parents, designer Jenia Kim draws on her rich cultural heritage for J.Kim. Traditional Korean dress combines with elements of Uzbek folk craft to make J.Kim’s unique aesthetic: Modern pieces like puffer jackets and loungewear are embellished with cutouts in traditional floral patterns.
Juntae Kim | Founded: 2022 | Seoul
@juuntaekim
Founded in 2022, Juntae Kim has built a strong following in very little time. Blending a punk attitude with an eye for tailoring, Juntae Kim collections offer garments that feel familiar but always feature a twist in the tale.
Juun.J | Founded: 2007 | Seoul
@juun_j
Designer Juun.J cut his teeth at Club Monaco before founding his eponymous label in 2007. Since then, the label has become one of Korea’s foremost fashion brands, thanks in no small part to the wearability of the largely classic collections, which revolve around tried-and-tested shapes.
KANGHYUK | Founded: 2017 | Seoul
@_kanghyuk
Kanghyuk’s draw can be summed up in one product: deployed airbag backpacks. The label, founded in 2017 by Kanghyuk Choi and Sanglak Shon, is an ambitious vision and material exploration.
KIJUN | Founded: 2018 | Seoul
@kijun_official
Each season, Kijun bases its collection around a new film concept, acting as an imaginary costume department. It’s a refreshing take on how to view a clothing brand, and one mirrored in the versatile yet clearly themed collections.
KIMHEKIM | Founded: 2016 | Seoul
@maison_kimhekim
Designer Kiminte Kimhekim studied in France and held a position at Balenciaga before founding KIMHEKIM in 2016. His experience shows: Unorthodox cuts and head-turning proportions are pillars of the label’s collections.
KUSIKOHC | Founded: 2016 | Seoul
@kusikohc
KUSIKOHC founder Cho Gi-Seok cites Comme des Garçons, Rick Owens, and Alexander McQueen as central inspirations. It goes a long way to explaining the compelling tensions in texture, colour, and form within each KUSIKOHC collection.
LOW CLASSIC | Founded: 2009 | Seoul
@lowclassic_seoul
There’s a fine line between refined simplicity and boring; LOW CLASSIC resides emphatically on the right side of that line. Don’t expect any big graphics or head-turning colours; this label is about clean, wearable cuts, high-quality fabrics, and balanced forays into modern detailing.
LVIR | Founded: 2017 | Seoul and Los Angeles
@lvir_official
It’s a common goal for Korean fashion brands to find a balance between classic and modern. LVIR is no exception, abiding by a function-meets-sophistication rule which sees workwear-leaning pieces like boilersuits alongside delicate, sheer tops.
NEUTE | Founded: 2019 | Seoul
@neute.official
NEUTE – derived from the word neutral – offers a range of shoes that live by a mantra of everyday luxury. A key tenet of the brand is that its shoes can be worn across the board but also have a distinctive visual character. From cowboy boots to ballet flats, the NEUTE collection moves with the zeitgeist without pandering to trends.
Nothing Written | Founded: 2017 | Seoul
@nothingwritten.kr
Items like heavy corduroy trousers and bouclé knits are the bread and butter of Nothing Written. The Korean luxury brand, founded in 2017 by Young-Ju Lee, has proven season after season that movements like prep and quiet luxury are not just trends but timeless sources of inspiration.
Numbering | Founded: 2014 | Seoul
@numbering_official
In the arena of South Korean jewellery brands, Numbering looms large. Its largely minimalist collections find the golden mean between restraint and embellishment, all at an affordable price tag.
OPEN YY | Founded: 2018 | Seoul
@openyy_official
Formerly known as TheOpen Product, OPEN YY builds on the trusty foundations of vintage products. Reinventing retro styles, the Seoul-based label specialises in expressive garments that focus on asymmetry, structural detailing, and textural experimentation.
OSOI | Founded: 2016 | Seoul
@osoi_official
As mentioned, one of the key aspects to the rise of the Seoul fashion scene is the availability of high-quality artisans and factories in the city. OSOI uses these highly skilled local ateliers to build its sculptural leather bags.
POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) | Founded: 2018 | Seoul
@postarchivefaction
POST ARCHIVE FACTION (PAF) is one of the leading names in Korean streetwear, garnering major support with its gorpcore-leaning designs. Having already collaborated with Off-White™, PAF has a very bright future.
POTTERY | Founded: 2017 | Seoul
@ptry.inc
Making pottery is an exercise in care and patience, and that’s the thrust behind this label. POTTERY makes clothes that last, whether that’s down to the removal of any superfluous details or the hard-wearing materials.
Pushbutton | Founded: 2003 | Seoul
@pushbutton_official
Pushbutton was founded in 2003, which makes it one of the more seasoned brands in this list, but don’t take that to mean sensible. Designer and founder Seung Gun Park is a former K-pop star and that attitude shines through in a futuristic, genderless style that’s impossible to miss.
Recto | Founded: 2015 | Seoul
@recto_official
Simple, usually monochromatic colour palettes fill out classic shapes in Recto collections. The effect is a range of staple clothing that facilitates self-expression, embellishment, and personal styling.
Rokh | Founded: 2016 | Paris
@rokhofficial
Born in Korea and raised in the US before studying in London and founding his brand in Paris, Rok Hwang has carried elements of each place with him. The product is Rokh, one of the foremost Korean luxury brands. With experience at CELINE, Louis Vuitton, and Chloé, Rok’s designs are understandably quiet and sophisticated, with a bent for a classic French aesthetic.
Solid Homme | Founded: 1988 | Seoul
@solidhomme
Founded long before Korea became a hub for fashion and youth culture, Solid Homme has been flying the flag for the nation for 35 years already. Not much has changed in that time, because it doesn’t need to: Solid Homme stands for timeless pieces made to exacting standards.
System | Founded: 1990 | Seoul
@system_studios
Beginning in 1990 and expanding into menswear in 2008, System has built a steadfast identity in the last 30 years. It’s known for collections that look simple on the surface but feature intricate detailing and expert tailoring on closer inspection.
thisisneverthat | Founded: 2010 | Seoul
@thisisneverthat
Korean streetwear brands are aplenty, but only a select few have really cracked the international code. With a penchant for basics and a finger on the pulse of youth culture, thisisneverthat lives on the global stage.
Uniform Bridge | Founded: 2013 | Seoul
@uniform_bridge
Utility, quality, and accessibility are central concerns for Uniform Bridge. Inspired by retro styles, the brand’s collections cater to the preppy workwear sensibilities that have remained at the forefront of menswear for the last half-century.
We11done | Founded: 2015 | Seoul
@we11done
In its mission to reshape the way we view high-fashion, We11done has carved out a niche for its bold graphics, inflated proportions, and seamless streetwear-luxury fusion.
Wooyoungmi | Founded: 2002 | Paris
@wooyoungmi
Wooyoungmi was founded in 2002 as the image of designer Woo Youngmi’s perfect man. What’s perhaps most interesting about the label is that the Wooyoungmi man has evolved over time, effectively becoming an ever-changing study into modern masculinity.
XLIM | Founded: 2021 | Seoul
@xlimlink
Branding its collections as “episodes,” the collective behind XLIM paints an updated picture of its cultural surroundings every season. Underscored by sportswear and streetwear influences, XLIM clothing has the feeling of a young Stone Island or C.P. Company.
young n sang | Founded: 2018 | Seoul
@youngnsang
young n sang stands out because of its sheer technical prowess. All garments are handmade in its own Seoul atelier, making the level of detailing – from woven florals to netted vests – even more impressive.
Youth | Founded: 2016 | Seoul
@youth_lab_kr
Launched in 2016 as the in-house label for Korean fashion boutique Obscura, Youth offers ready-to-wear and accessories that carefully mix the simple with the intricate. From oversized blazers to eye-catching, amorphous jewellery, Youth is at once versatile and statement-making.
Words: Hyunji Nam and Alek Rose
THIS FEATURE IS PUBLISHED IN THE 11TH EDITION OF ICON PRINT MAGAZINE. ORDER YOUR COPY HERE.
