Korean designer teams up with US hip-hop musicians
Fashion designer Ko Tae-yong of "Beyond Closet" / Courtesy of Beyond Closet
By Kim Jae-heun
Popular Korean designer Ko Tae-yong of “Beyond Closet” unveiled its collaboration project with American hip-hop musician group “Odd Future” at his flagship store in Gangnam, Seoul, Wednesday.
It is first time for the American crew to work with Korean designer, who matched Odd Future’s pastel-colored cartoonish donut graphic with his signature dog patch to express the trendy Hipster mood.
“The team leader Tyler the Creator of Odd Future runs independent fashion label Golf Wang in Korea and he only sells online,” said Ko during the interview with The Korea Times. “We had a friend in common and he introduced me to Odd Future, who agreed to do collaboration.
“The main focus of the new collaboration is about color. Rather than giving a synergy effect by mixing two opposite moods of each brand, we gathered two similar moods that both Odd Future and Beyond Closet lay strength on. Both brands own cloths with various pop colors mixed with graphics for menswear and I sought this commonness can work as synergy effect,” added Ko.
Ko’s collaboration collection with Odd Future is displayed on a hanger at his flagship store in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Beyond Closet
Ko’s collaboration collection constitutes of diverse products like coach jacket, pattern shirts, sweat shirts, hoody and T-shirts.
Ko said he has always found interest in music especially, hip-hop, which led him to work with the American musicians in the fashion field too.
Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All, normally shorted to Odd Future, comprise of 12 members. The American hip-hop collective formed in Los Angeles in 2006 with original members of five and received recognition from esteemed rappers like Kanye West and Eminem. The members are active in various fields like rap music, DJ, video directing and skate boarding. The group expresses its originality by creating new works mixed with experiences of many different sectors. Fashion brand Golf Wang is one of the examples that Tyler the Creator runs to pursue his fashion career.
Designer Ko Tae-yong’s fashion brand Beyond Closet’s flagship store shows his collaboration collection with American hip-hop collective Odd Future in Gangnam, southern Seoul, Wednesday. / Courtesy of Beyond Closet
Ko has previously launched his 2017 Spring and Summer collection in Seoul, based on his inspiration from lives of young Koreans in Seoul. He adopted the theme title “Lounge,” which he designed clothes that young Seoulites would wear at parties in lounge bar at a roof-top during hot summer.
He continued to mix the high-end details with street culture style and add his typical witty graphics to express Beyond Closet mood on the outfits. Ko’s previous collection include tuxedo jacket with denim pants and silk shirt mixed with destroyed suit pants.