Besides the rise of K-beauty, Korean fashion is also gaining global recognition, what with the many brands being sold at local multi-label boutiques and department stores such as Robinsons, SocietyA and Actually. Above, we pick out the coolest Korean fashion brands you should be wearing in 2018.
Designer Minju Kim’s forte lies in whipping up garments distilled from art and fantasy. This has shaped the brand’s bedrock of detail-heavy dresses — featuring pleats, fringing and tiered ruffles to name but a few — that are effortless to say the least. A stylish quick fix that barely needs additional accessories.
Originally starting out with menswear before progressing into a womenswear-only label, LIE tempers its feminine wares (think: fluffy jackets, ruffled skirts and poppy hues) with sharp tailoring by way of handsome coats and trousers. Designer Chung Chung Lee’s calling card? Marrying unexpected fabrics and prints to create a garment that truly stands out.
Vleeda pegs itself as a brand that creates artwork on clothing, and their collections serve up nothing less. Designer Daeun Lee is known for executing this vision in a painterly approach — watercolour dresses and variegated patterns on blouses and skirts are the norm here.
It’s almost as if Tibaeg is the younger sister to the three others that came before, and their aesthetic can be summed up with the title of the hit film, 13 Going on 30. The prints are often child-like and rendered in dusty, pastel shades, but elevated by classic silhouettes.
This is your go-to brand for cool, colourful yet wearable ready-to-wear pieces and accessories with an edgy, streetwear slant. So expect to see oversized sweaters, graphic tees and more. For its most recent Fall/Winter 2017 collection, the brand delivered a collection of oversized coats and bombers, sweaters with ultra long sleeves and interesting-cut denim pieces that will elevate any look. What else we love? The way the brand uses a variety of brighter hues such as pink and purple, which are colours more associated with the spring.
If you prefer a brand that’s more effortless and chic, here’s the one to put on your want list. Besides its neutral colour palette, we are also digging its feminine details on the pieces such as ruffles and pleats, alongside more structured shirting.
Also known as the sister label of Rocket x Lunch (mentioned above), Among aims to tell a story through its collections and emphasises on more modern and clean cut separates. Each piece features unfussy aesthetics and is wearable for every day.
Staying true to its name, this jewellery label aims to design unique and wearable pieces, mixing vintage and modern elements together. Whether it’s a pair of dainty earrings or huge, statement necklaces, the brand’s diverse range of jewellery will definitely leave you spoilt for choice.
Wondering what the name of this fine jewellery label means? Well, it basically originated from the term “plume on a helmet” as the designs are influenced by armour helmets used in medieval periods. It’s F/W collection (also known as “Curve”) draws inspiration from the silhouettes and curvatures of a human body to create three-dimensional pieces of wearable art.
Unlike other more pretty fashion labels, Soulpot Studio is a lot more edgy and cool. Each piece is interestingly-cut – some with slouchy, oversized silhouettes – and uses a number of fabrics mixed together to create a single piece.
The brand’s ethos? Reinterpreting staple and classic bag designs and silhouettes with an edgier twist. The founder, Ji Yu, uses her background in luxury car interior design and knowledge of hardware and leather to create covetable, unique pieces.
With a mixture of boyish separates and girlier offerings, this unisex label is fun, cool and very wearable for every day. Our picks? The feminine frocks that come with flouncy, ruffled hems.
As its name suggests, everything has a tongue-in-cheek reference to food: t-shirts come with fun phrases such as “Eat a lot”, while dresses feature embroidered patches of a runny egg and a latte takeaway cup.
Fans of Cos and Celine would definitely want to check out womenswear brand AOEMQ. It features an array of slouchy silhouettes that comes with feminine details like ruffles, while sheer skirts make great layering options.
Like this? Check out all the It bag trends from S/S 18 (and the accompanying buys), all the looks we are loving from local fashion brand Stolen and Superga’s new Christmas launches.