WATCH: Concept Korea Unveils Digital Fashion Films During NYFW—Meet The Designers Here!

Concept Korea’s digital fashion show wowed at NYFW, with three brands to watch—EENK, NOHANT, and UL:KIN—showcasing their wares via fashion films that starred some of Korea’s most well-known fashion personalities.

Celebrating its 12th year as an official program at NYFW, Concept Korea, a global fashion program hosted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and organized by the Korea Creative Content Agency (KOCCA), presented the work of three of the country’s most exciting talents to an international audience.

The digital films, unveiled on NYFW.com (and for your viewing pleasure below!) on Thursday evening, were created to tell one story—and the major takeaway? Korean fashion is as bright, exciting, and innovative as ever. Without further ado, let’s meet the designers.

NOHANT (Designer Noah Nam)

When did you launch?
2012.

What’s the No. 1 goal of the brand?
Creating a collection of iconic essentials that both women and men would want to wear every day, with a focus on distinctive design, enduring style, and uncompromising quality.

What have been some highlights so far?
NOHANT has been one of the most popular fashion runways during Seoul Fashion Week. The venue is always packed with buyers and VIPs from around the world, and our S/S 2017 show currently has 1.1 million views on YouTube! Additionally, NOHANT collaborated with actor Yoo Ah-in for the brand’s “newkidz nohant” through Hangul Fashion Project, which allowed us to donate 100 million KRW to help underprivileged children.

What’s the concept of the upcoming collection?
The S/S ’22 collection summarizes the past 10 years of NOHANT’s work. Under the seasonal concept title of “In Dialogue,” NOHANT keeps illustrating its modern sportism.

Overall dream for the brand?
I want my brand to be the first to come to mind when people hear the word “brunch look.” I want to create a collection of comfortable yet stylish essentials that are perfectly suited for those who enjoy having brunch!

EENK (Designer: Hyemee Lee)

When did you launch?
EENK officially launched in 2015, starting with accessories and leather goods (H for Handbag and G for Gold collections) and expanding to RTW with concepts I for Indigo and J for Jean in 2017. The runway debut was in 2018 at Seoul Fashion Week’s Generation Next with the K for Knit collection.

What’s the No. 1 goal of the brand?
The Letter Project presents unique design items with keywords designated for each alphabet letter from A to Z. Each season we move on to the next letter to inspire the new collection, presenting new concepts and items, keeping the brand exciting and inspiring all the time. In the age of fast fashion and endless cycles of trends, we aim to bring collectibles instead of disposables into our client’s personal archives.

What have been some highlights so far?
I was awarded for Designer of the Year in 2019, during the Fashion Photographer’s Night, hosted by the Korea Fashion Photographers Association, along with HoYeon Jung (awarded for Model of the Year) and Blackpink’s Jennie (awarded for Photogenic of the Year). It was a great honor and memorable because the award is given annually to fashion specialists chosen by the most influential industry professionals in the country.

What’s the concept of the upcoming collection?
EENK imagines a world beyond reality in U for Utopia. The past is within the future, and the future is within the past in this collection of poetic dreams made of pastel hues and vanguard craftsmanship. A burst of popsicle colors and playful motifs of romanticism bring us to a strange and beautiful world of imagination where childhood memories, idyllic nostalgia, and futuristic optimism co-exist.

Overall dream for the brand?
To become the first global house brand based in Korea!

UL:KIN (Designer Seong-dong Lee)

When did you launch?
2014.

What’s the No. 1 goal of the brand?
The goal of the brand is making sustainability sexy. Eco-friendly, sustainable fashion should incorporate more sophisticated and seductive designs. We’re eager to show that what’s good for the environment can also look stunning. LSD Ulkin Collection is a high-end casual line that incorporates the sensibility of art and culture into fashion, while focusing on sustainable methods, like upcycling and repurposing scrap fabrics.

What have been some highlights so far?
So many, including showing collections at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week, Copenhagen International Fashion Fair, and collaborating with Hyundai.

What’s the concept of the upcoming collection?
The Everlasting collection instills new values and solves the problem of how not to throw away the things that we create. The wedding dress is a main theme of this season; about 1.7 million wedding dresses are abandoned in Korea and eventually discarded! Many clothes are consumed for too short a moment, so we have upcycled and presented them with ul:kin’s sensibility so that they can shine again.

Overall dream for the brand?
We started as a designer brand, but we dream of growing into an innovative company that influences the whole industry while combining technology and art with fashion.

The films were produced by director Ok-seop Yi and star the likes of actors Koo Kyo-hwan, Jin-young of Korean idol group GOT7, GFRIEND Sowon, Jin Ji-hee, and Jung Ryeo-won.

Editor’s note: The new collection will be available for BtoB sales on the global non-face-to-face platform JOOR.

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