October 27, 2019
fashion•fashion week•runway review•SFW SS20
Seoul Fashion Week SS20: Shows that stole the runway
This season of Seoul Fashion Week SS20 (Spring/Summer 2020) was definitely something. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many designers ditching the traditional ‘send models down a runway in clothes and that’s it’ in favour of something a little more fun. And, although I didn’t have tickets for this season (sucks when you can only really attend on the last day, and they’re the most popular/celebrity heavy shows) I kept a very close eye on the social media of my friends who did, so that I could consume as many of the shows as I was physically able.
‘Cause there were some utterly fantastic shows this season.
The Ultimate Seoul Fashion Week Favourite
My absolute favourite show for Seoul Fashion Week SS20 season was Graphiste Man.G, and I feel like it’s a show that will really resonate with people who are fans of alternative fashion.
Opening with a nod to Korea’s wonderful, and growing, drag scene, the collection itself was bold, bright, and in your face, taking inspiration from the ’80s and superimposing it onto modern silhouettes to add an urban edge. Key features of the collection were layers, DRAG DRAG MAN.G and FREE MAN.G slogans used as motifs, and gender neutrality, mixed with the brands identity of ‘meaningful uniqueness’. I loved the extravagance with the hair and makeup, and how the models really showed a great deal of personality as they walked the runway. The whole show had a great cohesion to it, and I love how all of the pieces are incredibly wearable. I immediately fell in love with anything check (you can take the girl out of the UK, but you can’t take the UK out of the girl…), then doubled down with my attachment to the coats and knitwear.
I haven’t paid much attention to this designer before, and after taking a quick look through their archives am really sad that that has been the case. They use colour, patterns, and large graffiti-esque or tattoo-style elements in a really playful manner, with cuts that reflect this nature.
You can check out MAN.G’s current collection and MAN.G archives on their website. You can also check out the Seoul Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2020 runway video!
The Show I thoroughly enjoyed
SETSETSET was another show I was definitely feeling. With an earthy colour palette and a recurring mugunghwa (the national flower of Korea, Hibiscus syriacus) motif, the collection featured a mix of floaty romantic elements interspersed with cleaner, more simple silhouettes. The contrast in fabrics helped to underline the contrast between romantic and edgy, mixing the two together for some looks to weave the themes and add some texture variation.
I’m a huge fan of the exaggerated sleeves, and although not as large as some on other runways the SETSETSET show delivers a wearable everyday level of poof. The dresses on show had great fluidity, even with more structured details elsewhere. I really enjoyed the colour story, flowing from darker hues of navy, black, and brown, to blues, greens, yellows, and white.
My absolute favourite look in the whole collection was the final piece – a brown leather look (I’m unsure if it’s actually leather?) two piece tunic and shorts set with puffed sleeves. The structure of the tunic juxtaposed with the puffed sleeves, loose shorts, and the flower motif used throughout really spoke to me.
You can see SETSETSET’s past collections on their website, where you’ll notice that they choose one motif for each collection, usually rooted in something very precious to Korea. You can also see SETSETSET’s Seoul Fashion Week SS20 collection on the website also.
Leave me a comment if you’d like to see more of the shows I loved!
@fiixii
Seoul Fashion Week SS20: The Dance Teams
Blahbang was definitely a show. A circus show in a dance show in a fashion show. Starting with a choreographed arrival of models wearing the collection, moving in to a contemporary dance number to La La Land’s ‘Another Day of Sun’, the catwalk started at around the 4 minute mark. I won’t break each section down because I really think it’s something you should experience for yourself, but it left me feeling kind of confused, kind of awestruck, and kind of wandering when exactly they cast this show and how much rehearsal time was involved.
The Blahbang collection was very true to the brand’s concept: unisex urban casual fashion. There were a lot of pieces with heavy utility inspiration – jumpsuits, large buckle fastened pockets, boxy silhouettes – and unisex elements in oversized jackets and a lot of movement in trousers and skirts. Colour was used really well throughout the collection, with a leaning towards monochromatic and two-tone outfits in a variety of shades. I really liked the rainbow brick pattern used across some of the pieces in the collection, and the reimagining of this rainbow for one or two check numbers. I really liked the wide range of pieces on show, and you could see how versatile the collection is. My favourite pieces were the pink jumpsuit (I think it was the 7th look?), and the dresses with high-low hemlines.
You can see the full Seoul Fashion Week SS20 Blahbang collection on the Seoul Fashion Week website, or watch the show video below!
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HOLYNUMBER7 was another show that featured dancing. Starting with a poppin’ performer before the models walked down a runway designed as a street, and ending with a dance team performance before the final walk. With the ominous sounding, futuristic music, it fit pretty well with the whole aesthetic of the show.
The collection itself felt very cool, with lots of leather(ette?) pieces mixed in with a variety of other textures. All of the looks had this put together, ‘city chic’ air about them, like you could pluck them from the runway and see them on the streets of Seoul. I loved the mix of fabrics, patterns, and colors used throughout; especially the matching two piece sets in pastel denim as they balanced a lot of the darker, edgier looks. I really liked how the collection featured quite a wide variety of looks for a lot of different types of people without deviating from the core collection.
Taking a peek at HOLYNUMBER7’s past collection shows that they’re no stranger to staging a true show with their fashion shows, last season’s 19FW show was also pretty cool if you’d like to take a look. If you’d like to see the SS20 collection from HOLYNUMBER7 then it’s on their website. Or you can watch the show down below!
The Mini Concerts
Comspace 1980 kicked off their show with a cute video, dance, and vocal performance by AOORA (it appears the video was shot at Yongma Land) which set the theme of the room to be pretty upbeat, and prepared the audience well for the main show. The dance team was also very good!
The collection was the epitome of the brands identity: using Korean minimalism to blend sporty sensibility and street mood into witty casual. The pieces were loose-fitting, in simple, easy-to-wear cuts, with elements from sportswear effortlessly blended with elements from street style. The colour story was walking the same minimalist lines, using only 5 colours; black, white, red, yellow, and blue.
I really liked the use of stripes throughout, it really added that sporty twist to more traditional pieces, like the dress pants, suit, and more structured shirts. I also loved the nod towards rugby, and the tassel details on some of the jackets, which seems to be a recurring theme throughout Comspace 1980’s catalogue.
You can see the full collection of COMSPACE 1980 SS20 looks on the Seoul Fashion Week website, and you can see the show’s video down below.
GREEDILOUS is a show that I make sure I can see during fashion week. Every season they present a collection filled with colour, movement, and a lot of pieces that make you go ‘wow’. This year, their 33 minute show (yes, thirty three minutes) included a mini concert at the end (around the 28 minute mark) just before the models returned. A cool idea to hype spectators for the finale, but I think it fell a bit flat mostly due to the performer. It definitely created an instagram moment.
The collection consisted of 88 looks very true to the GREEDILOUS archives; bright colors, a mix of tailoring and comfort, with the signature tiered bell bottoms and ruffle details. Starting and finishing with an amazing blue orange and green check fabric, the colour story moved through mints and peaches before settling into the bright pinks and greens that are trademark GREEDILOUS, then settling into some darker shades for the ending looks. The kaleidoscope patterns typical of this designer are present throughout, as well as more geometric ones. I love the layering of items, and the movement in a lot of the pieces. My absolute favourite look was the cream and blue trench coat (jackets are proving to be a big draw for me right now), but there were so many other looks I could see myself wearing!
You can see all of the GREEDILOUS SS20 looks on the Seoul Fashion Week website.
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I’d love to talk more with you guys about these shows! What did you think of them? Are you a fan of the traditional ‘get it over and done with ASAP’ catwalks, or are you embracing the show side of Fashion?
Let me know in the comments here, or if you’d like you can join the conversation on instagram or twitter! Head on over, I’m waiting for your input ~
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