Gangbuk becomes fashionable spot
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Dongdaemun Design Plaza and shopping mall Migliore
By Rachel Lee
Gangnam has long been regarded as the most fashionable, stylish part of Seoul, but this may no longer be the case.
An increasing number of fashion designers and savvy shoppers have taken a fancy to districts north of the river, and in particular Gangbuk. Likewise, some established artists including push BUTTON’s Park Seung-gun and Johnny Hates Jazz’s Choi Ji-hyung have moved their showroom to Hannam-dong, a neighborhood of Yongsan District in the northern part of the city.
“Garosugil and Cheongdam-dong used to be the hottest locations for local and luxury fashion respectively,” says designer Choi. “But over the past few years, a lot of designers have left for areas in Gangbuk such as Dongdaemun and Hannam-dong. These places are now leading the fashion industry.”
In the past, department stores were the only distributors for designer labels, with the majority of people who could afford them living in Gangnam. So the designers began flocking to the area to settle there. Now distribution channels have become diverse, with flagship stores, multi-brand shops, Dongdaemun market and online shops. As a result, consumers have started looking for independent boutiques that offer good quality clothing at reasonable prices.
Dongdaemun, in particular, is a popular destination among rising, up-and-coming designers. This year’s Seoul Fashion Week was held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza and The Korea Apparel Industry Association opened its Ledome showroom in the area to promote K-fashion by introducing the country’s emerging designers to overseas buyers.
“Dongdaemun is a must-see place for tourists thanks to the popularity of the Korean wave. Dongdaemun-based designers like me are trying to show something very unique to appeal to both local and overseas shoppers,” says designer Seo Eun-gil of label Gil Homme. Creative Director Kim Hong-bum of Cres.E.Dim agrees, “Rising designers should create their own identity to survive in the market. It’s the most important factor to succeed as a fashion designer.”