Interview with Yeashin Kim for YEASHIN – A Rising Star from Korea

May 7, 2013 in 1960s British Modern Style, Autumn/Winter, Brands, Collections, Designers, Fashion, Fashion Events, Fashion Shows, Fashion Week, Fier Showroom, Garden of East, Interview, London, Ones To Watch@Fashion Scout London, Seasons, slide-show, Slideshow, Spring/Summer, Traditional Korean Costumes, Woodland, YEASHIN, Yeashin Kim

Do you know her or at least have heard her name?

yeashin

If you don’t, I suggest you better start getting to know her NOW as she is bound to be a STAR. At just 24-years-old, she has launched her own brand under her name and been invited to participate in major runway shows and exhibitions for the best up-and-coming design talents in Europe including Ones To Watch at Fashion Scout London and Zip Zone Paris Fashion Tradeshow taking place during London Fashion Week and Paris Fashion Week respectively. In her final year of her studies at the design school, she was voted The Best Fashion Graduate by Vogue UK and won the WGSN Global Fashion Awards in the Most Creative Student Collection category. Who is she? Listen up! Her name is YEASHIN KIM.

Mini profile of Yeashin Kim:

Nationality: Korean

Occupation: Founder and designer of YEASHIN since 2011

Education: London College of Fashion, class of 2011

Spotted YEASHIN Spring/Summer 2013 collection “Garden of East” from the press package of Fier Showroom Fall/Winter 2013 (Berlin) happening in January for the first time, I have been totally captivated by the designer’s sensitivity to unique color combinations, unlimited creativity to experiment with different fabric textures and materials and imaginative expression in mixing and matching the seemingly irrelevant elements. Being a keen admirer of the 1960s British modern style and deeply inspired by traditional Korean costumes, Yeashin created the uniquely speechless and exceptionally cheery Spring/Summer “Garden of East” collection packed with vibrant, dynamic and vivid color pleated shifts stylized with a gat, a type of Korean traditional hat worn by men during the Joseon Dynasty, which exuded elegance and sweetness with a girly and fun touch, also best exemplified an exotic blend of retro-chic and neo-traditional, of east and west. Thank you Goran of Fier Management for coordinating my interview with Yeashin. Are you ready? Let’s journey into the creative mind and career of this future star of fashion.

YEASHIN Spring/Summer 2013 collection

Hi Yeashin, thank you for taking the time to speak with me……

GV Miao: Since when have you realized that you would decide to develop your career in fashion design? As far back as you can remember, did your interest in fashion start early (or let me put it this way, did your artistic ability start to show at a young age?)?

Yeashin: I graduated from an arts middle and high school in South Korea. At that time my major was in fine art, so I started doing fine art when I was very young. In my last year of middle school, I watched a fashion show for the first time and I thought fashion is a very splendid major because it brings different subjects together such as music, fine art, stage art, business, etc. That’s why I chose fashion which requires a lot of hard work but also very dynamic. And a few years later I entered the London College of Fashion.

Yeashin Spring/Summer 2013 Collection

GV Miao: How would you describe your design/your brand, YEASHIN (in terms of style, aesthetics, etc.)? I understand that many editors, fashion journalists and bloggers have written something about your collections, but somehow to a certain extent, I reckon those descriptions may be an individual’s interpretation of your works which do not necessarily represent the whole picture. I would like to hear it from you directly.

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African Fashion Show in Hong Kong: All Are Equal; All Are Welcome!

May 24, 2012 in Accessories, African Tribal Style, Amina Lamarre, Antique/Vintage, Brands, Designers, Dresses, Exotic Ethnic, Fashion, Fashion Events, Fashion Shows, Jewellery, Miss Bella, Necklaces, slide-show, Slideshow, Virginie Villa

The fact that big name editors, top international bloggers and celebs are so proud of sitting in the front row of the “Big Four” fashion-week shows indicates that the whole idea of fashion, by its nature, is hierarchical, which means only the elite fashion circle is entitled to enjoy the privilege of watching the glamorous world of high-end fashion on stage at a close distance. Exuding the democratic and harmonious spirit of traditional African culture, the African fashion night co-hosted by Amina Lamarre, the French-African businesswoman turned amateur fashion designer and the French jewelry designer Virginie Villa was like a breath of fresh air among the status oriented fashion occasions. The event taking place in Amina’s Makumba Africa Lounge, the first authentic African bar in Hong Kong (she has been running Makumba since I first met her a few years ago in Hong Kong) was open to all, regardless of social background or status, title, occupation or age. While waiting for the show to start, the guests could feel free to enjoy moving their hips to the passionate African live music while sipping a drink.

Not a big fan of dancing? The venue was lavishly decorated with brightly colored African handcrafted works. The guests could leisurely browse the beautiful displays of African fabrics, wood and other colorful handmade works and kept themselves in a delightful mood for the show.

More guests flocked to the bar fifteen minutes before the show started. After a short while the music stopped and the MC came onto the stage to announce the start of the show with a speech in praise of the designers’ creativity and the beauty of the models. Wows could be heard as each model came out in her stunning look. The models did not grace a typical runway; they catwalked through the audiences showing warm smiles and friendly gestures and welcoming close-up snapshots by the crowd. The African fashion show was all about everyone, no matter who they are enjoying and participating in a fun and fabulously chic party on an equal basis. So who cares about Anna Wintour?

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That’s What the Dream Combination Is Meant To Be

October 7, 2011 in Accessories, Annapaola Rapacciuolo, Antique/Vintage, Brands, Chiara Salvioli, Classic Elegance, Contemporary, Designers, Fashion, Fashion Events, FashionCamp, Giulia Boccafogli, Jewellery, Le Chou Chou, Milano 2011, slide-show, Slideshow

At FashionCamp Milano 2011, I saw the dream combination of style and artistic creativity, which was Giulia Boccafogli‘s contemporary leather jewellery, Annapaola Rapacciuolo‘s exquisite miniature jewellery with a vintage flavor, and Chiara Salvioli‘s high quality, detail oriented fashion pieces being proudly shown off in one go. The three brilliant and enthusiastic designers from different parts of Italy got together in Milan to pursue their dreams of getting known to the world with their one-of-a-kind designs which illuminate with expertise, uniqueness, and craftsmanship. I have so much respect for you guys!

Being an architect-turned-designer, Giulia has designed jewelry collections which fully reflect proportional beauty, strive for aesthetic and structural harmony, and play around with the use of materials. Her latest collection of exclusive leather jewelery showcased at the camp is called “Leaves.” Producing this signature flower leather necklace required a lot of hand quilting and collage techniques, which took a long time to complete according to the designer and therefore no two pieces are exactly the same. Customers do not only pay for the design which is uniquely theirs, but also for the designer’s passion for perfection and handcraftsmanship. Accessorizing Chiara’s one-piece dress with Giula’s flower leather necklace was the best way to manifest the gracefulness and tastefulness of European women.

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