Finalists for the 2016 International Woolmark Prize, South Korean designers Jinwoo Choi and Yeonjoo Koo are the husband-and-wife duo behind menswear label J Koo. The two met while studying menswear design at Central Saint Martins and are known for taking traditional British Savile Row tailoring and applying it to their classic-with-a-twist womenswear collections.
Since its launch in 2010, J Koo has become one of the most popular brands to show at Seoul Fashion Week, and the designers collaborated with Adidas on its spring-summer 2020 collection and were selected to be among Fashion Asia’s 10 Asian Designers to Watch last year. Here, Choi tells us all about their journey.
While the sustainability has been on the lips and minds of every designer in the last few years, it seems the going green has finally reached even the most rarified part of fashion. Where once couture was defined as creating the most unique, over-the-top pieces for select clientele, designers are now redefining the craft, using it as opportunity to use the most sophisticated skills and technology on offer to find solutions to fashion s pollution problem, proving that even couture can go circular.
Ronald van der Kemp introducing his FW21 couture collection
Ronald van der Kemp FW21 Couture
Dutch couturier Ronald van der Kemp gave us an intimate tour of his latest collection, entitled The Mind Vaccine, because he hoped that as people emerged from the pandemic, brimming with pent up energy, that they d remember to do things responsibly and with more attention.
Having spent some time with the Duke of Windsor, Chanel also adopted the use of tweed from Scottish menswear and created jackets and dresses alike for women, another daring departure from a time where the curvy, feminine shape was exalted by the likes of Christian Dior.
Then came the Little Black Dress. Once reserved only for housekeepers and mourning garb, Chanel decided to make it appropriate colour for eveningwear, birthing the now iconic look. Another colour she brought to the fore was beige. American press at the time crowned her the Queen of Beige for her use of the subtle hue in luxurious satin and silk fabrics to make it cocktail-ready.
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Tatler Lister and owner of shoe brand Sauvereign (formerly R. Sanderson) Bertrand Mak is looking to create the “Birkins of shoes.” The former watch specialist at Christie’s also spent time under the LVMH group and takes his experience to Sauvereign, where he’s infusing 24K gold leaf and other intricate forms of artistry onto “gems” or plaques on pumps to create jewellery for the feet. Here are his favourite styles and the inspirations behind them.
Aphrodite 168 Gold Poudre Maia with INK 4 Moon Gold Omoiyari G01 Gem
Having been exposed to the world of mechanical watches and classical music at a very young age (not exactly an orthodox pairing, I know), I have always had an eye for the devil in the details. I yearn to understand how art, in whatever form, can transcend time and be immortal.