Portrait of a cultural icon: Andre Kim

Every stitch always in place

By Lee Hyo-won

``It’s so fantastic and elegant,’’ a comedian, dressed in a puffy white spacesuit with heavy eyeliner and a flattened out black wig, says in a nasal voice, not forgetting to stretch out the vowels.

Andre Kim was undoubtedly a cultural icon, and this is reflected in the omnipresent parodies of the late designer’s unique manner of speaking in Korean popular culture. Kim, and moreover, spoofs imitating him, are household legacies here, with Kim-style vocal mimicry being a rite of passage of sorts for a comedian. Of course the designer was more than aware of this, including even the not-always-kind jokes, but the good-natured man would laugh about them lightheartedly.

But when it came to business, Kim was one serious man.

This reporter had the pleasure of witnessing the designer at work during his last days in the public spotlight, which she recalls with great feelings of loss.

Kim was a perfectionist more than anything else, which was his secret to staging memorable fashion shows ― always visually delightful with a touch of drama. His stage served as a barometer for celebrity status ― the most sough-after stars would grace his runway as models and he even hosted the Andre Kim Best Star Awards last year.

He was always at the forefront of cultural events, and his mere presence ― which was hard to miss whenever the tall figure emerged in a scene wearing his signature white outfit ― gave any given event the weight of significance. He also knew how to use his celebrity image for meaningful causes.

In March, young men from all over the world gathered in Incheon for the 2010 Mr World competition, which was co-organized by The Korea Times-Hankook Ilbo Media Group and the Miss World Organization. Knowing that it was an event that would introduce Korean culture in the global media, he presided over the jury, despite his ill health, and also sponsored a charity fashion show. The contestants modeled his creations and proceeds went to the International Vaccine Institute (IVI), a U.N. research center based in Seoul.

The inexhaustible designer flew out to Beijing the day after the competition’s finale to hold a fashion show. This reporter was surprised to see Kim, at 74, sitting one minute and getting up swiftly to walk around tirelessly to oversee the rehearsal, making sure every stitch was in place. The last remnants of the winter were lingering strong, and there was nothing but a portable heater to keep him warm and just the day before, he was seen moving slowly leaning on the arms of his entourage. Contrary to his shaky, soft-spoken speech during the Mr World fashion show a few days before, he didn’t even need a microphone when addressing reporters during the press conference for his 2011 spring/summer collection at Asia's largest fashion exhibition, China International Clothing and Accessories Fair.

He was also a rather selfless designer. The Beijing fashion show was the grand opening event commemorating the World Fashion Festival's Korean wing at New China International Exhibition Center, but he considered it, like all his other shows, as an opportunity to strengthen international ties, rather than a showcase for exhibiting his talent.

He was a proud face for Korea, but moreover, his designs spoke for themselves. There was no floor space to be seen at the event, as hordes of Chinese people gathered to catch his collection and gasped every time a model showed off new forms and colors. While life may be short, Kim’s legacies will live on through his work.

Andre Kim's life at a glance

1935: Born Kim Bong-nam in Goyang, Gyeonggi Province

1962: Holds debut fashion show at the Bando Hotel after earning a certificate from the Kookje Fashion Academy

1962: Adopts the name Andre Kim, as given by a French diplomat

1966: Becomes the first Korean to have a fashion show in Paris, France; Holds fashion show in New York, USA

1975: Holds fashion shows in Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia

1981: Named chief designer for the Miss Universe beauty pageant

1982: Receives the Cultural Merit Award from the Italian president

1988: Designs the uniforms for Korean athletes at the 1988 Summer Olympic Games in Seoul

1992: Invited by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to hold a fashion show for the Barcelona Olympic Games in Spain

1993: Invited by the China Olympic Committee to hold first fashion show in Beijing

1994: Holds fashion show in Cairo, Egypt with the pyramids as backdrop

1997: Becomes first fashion designer to receive the Korean Presidential Culture and Art Medal

2000: Receives the Order of Arts and Letters from the French government; Holds fashion show for the opening of the Sydney Olympic Games in Australia

2003: Named a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador

2006: Holds a fashion show in Cambodia; first to use the ancient Angkor Watt temple as backdrop

2009: Holds fashion show in Bangkok for 50th anniversary of Korea-Thailand relations

2010: Passes away at Seoul National University Hospital at the age of 74