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 Hanbok made from denim by designer Park Seon-ock
/ Courtesy of Yeoback |
By Chung Ah-young
Staff Reporter
If you think ``hanbok,'' or a Korean traditional costume, is supposed to be simple, minimal and typical, then your prejudice may be on the verge of being broken by an exhibition of a renovated designs.
Titled ``Space Captured by Hanbok,'' the exhibition will showcase various alterations and modernizations of the traditional costume for its convenience and silhouette, using vibrant colors and bold designs by designer Park Seon-ock.
The exhibition will display 16 pieces of modern hanbok created by Park, four pieces that were in fashion in the 1960s and '70s and 10 photos of hanbok taken by veteran photographer Bae Ji-hwan.
In the corner of the exhibition hall, retro hanbok, the fad of the 1960s and '70s, will be on display. In this ``Retro in Hanbok Design'' section, the vintage hanbok has no ``goreum,'' or coat strings and ribbons, which were replaced with a brooch at that time. Hanbok in the '60s was made from various Western synthetic fabrics such as velvet and printed textiles, showing a change in hanbok-making.
.jpg) Hanbok made from denim by designer Park Seon-ock
/ Courtesy of Yeoback |
In addition, four pieces of modernized hanbok ― using siphon, lace and printed textiles ― are to be presented. They offer trendy hanbok designs and retro styles that were in vogue during that period.
In the section ``Present in Hanbok Design,'' the designer will showcase four pieces from her 2008 fashion show in Sweden. Two pieces have a see-through look, applying delicate yellow, pink, blue and green textiles and black gauze. Also, ``jeogori'' (upper garment) patterned with black and white stripes and dots are matched with hot pink and blue satins, creating a modern look.
To create a glamorous silhouette, the hanbok highlights a bold exposure of legs through a split open seam on the front of the skirt, and also adopts a bustle style of Western garments in the back.
Among others, the section features two garments well known to the public due to the photographer's work in which renowned model Jessica Gomes was featured at the launching ceremony for SONY cameras in 2008.
In the section titled ``Future in Hanbok Design,'' the designer will present eight newly created pieces. This section shows fashion materials and silhouettes by analyzing the trends that are expected to be in vogue in the future.
For example, various materials such as spangles, siphon, lace, denim, velvet and coated textiles are displayed.
The colors black, white, gray, silver and gold are applied, while in silhouettes, variations such as drapery and a high-waist line are adopted with the skirt.
The photographer reinterpreted the hanbok through four colors ― gray, red, yellow and blue ― in his works. His section illustrates creative and innovative interpretations of the beauty of hanbok, featuring Koo Eun-ae.
``So far, there have been a lot of limitations in using materials, colors and patterns to make hanbok. The exhibition will be a new attempt to overcome this limitation,'' the designer said in a press release.
Park also emphasized that to globalize the traditional dress, she chose to design the clothes not only as folk items but also as symbols of fashion.
``However, I tried to keep the basic elements of hanbok, such as the skirt and jacket, while adopting the new Western textiles,'' she said.
The exhibition will take place from July 8 to 14 at Insa Art Center in central Seoul. Admission is free.
chungay@koreatimes.co.kr |
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