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Seoul Fashion Week S/S 2027 to turn city landmarks into global runways
Models showcase 2022 F/W collections at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art during Seoul Fashion Week at the Seoul Museum of Craft Art in Jongno District, Seoul, March 18, 2022. Korea Times file
By Lee Kyung-min
From high-concept traditional tailoring to the star-studded spectacle of K-pop, Seoul is preparing to transform its iconic urban landmarks into a sweeping stage for global style.
The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Thursday that the Spring/Summer 2027 Seoul Fashion Week will run from Sept. 1 through Sept. 6, anchoring its major presentations at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) and Lotte World Tower in Jamsil, while expanding across the capital.
Featuring 31 brand runways and spatial presentations alongside a high-stakes trade show boasting 100 domestic labels, the event marks a strategic evolution. Rather than restricting couture to exclusive industry insiders, municipal organizers are intentionally fusing commercial fashion, direct-to-consumer technology and international pop culture to broaden the event's public reach.
DDP will host the traditional core of designer collections, kicking off with the brand RERHEE. Led by designers Lee Jun-bok and Joo Hyun-jung, RERHEE's opening collection explores refined tailoring inspired by the enduring value of aged artifacts.
Other prominent labels — including KIMHĒKIM, which is making its long-awaited domestic runway debut after building an international footprint in Paris — will showcase across the week alongside avant-garde technological couture from Hanna Shin.
Simultaneously, the Jamsil cluster will lean heavily into youth culture and immediate digital commerce. Contemporary streetwear brands like Dunst, General Idea and Mahagrid will pioneer a "see-now, buy-now" experience, allowing spectators to instantly purchase runway looks via integrated QR codes linked to major retail platforms.
The week’s grand finale bridges high fashion with entertainment to mark the 10th anniversary of K-pop juggernaut NCT. A curated runway will see models perform to the group’s chart-topping hits clad in iconic stage costumes spanning the band's decade-long career. A massive flea market at the Lotte World Tower lawn will offer 3,000 archived stage garments for purchase, with all proceeds directed toward charitable causes.
Global fashion diplomacy remains central to the week's mandate. Prominent international buyers from Paris’s Printemps and Samaritaine luxury department stores, along with Tokyo’s United Arrows, are slated for private showroom tours across the trendy Seongsu and Gangnam districts.
In return, Seongsu will host a special "Berlin Showroom" pop-up, exhibiting 12 emerging German designers to foster cross-continental commerce between two of the world's most dynamic fashion capitals.
This article was published with the assistance of generative AI and edited by The Korea Times.