From beauty icon to contemporary designer

J Apostrophe design duo Lee Ji-seon, left, and Lee Ji-yeon / Courtesy of J Apostrophe

By Rachel Lee

The Lee sisters seem to have what it takes to be leading designers — clear brand identity, passion and an adventurous attitude.

“We don’t want to rush things in this business since we are looking at a long run,” Lee Ji-seon, CEO and designer of label J Apostrophe, told The Korea Times.

The 31-year-old designer launched the brand with her sister Lee Ji-yeon, 34, in 2011. The two split their roles — Ji-seon does apparel and Ji-yeon is in charge of accessories.

“The underlying concept of J Apostrophe is avant garde with a feminine twist,” said Ji-yeon. “Our designs deflect simplicity with controlled silhouette and color.”

The sisters have a background in fashion design — Ji-seon studied at the Parsons School of Design in New York and her sister studied at Italy’s Marangoni Institute of Fashion.

After graduating, they started the business in New York, and it gained momentum in a short time — it has about 50 stockists worldwide including Japan, Hong Kong and Lebanon.

“It was a branding strategy because we are targeting global market,” said Ji-yeon. “And the good results have helped us a lot to penetrate the Korean market.”

Two years later, J Apostrophe arrived. Its first collection at 2013 Seoul Fashion Week was got a better reception than had been expected. The 2014 Fall/Winter collection, in particular, received favorable reviews from press and buyers for the refreshing architecture-inspired pieces and the variance of powerful neutrals — black, white and grey.

The collection featured turtlenecks with sky-high collars, furry open-toed booties, fur wrist cuffs and leather skirts, some of which made women rethink about feminine staples.

J Apostrophe 2013 FW Collection

“I love simple lines with a bit of modernity and edge, like Stella McCartney. I absolutely adore what she does,” said Ji-seon.

The mother of a year-old baby boasts an interesting career history. She was crowned Miss Korea in 2007, and was the country's representative at the Miss Universe contest.

“I was getting a lot of offers from entertainment agencies and television producers back then and I rejected them all to pursue my fashion career,” she said. “People around me ask if I regret making that choice. Honestly? Not at all. I am happy to do this job in the end.”

Ji-yeon also agrees with her sister’s decision.

“Her stellar past definitely generated much attention when we first set up the business. It’s been a great PR,” she said.

J Apostrophe 2014 FW Collection

The designers not only look alike, they also have similar personalities, which makes their bond even stronger.

“Of course we’ve had arguments, but at the end of the day, we know each other so well and respect each other,” said Ji-yeon.

Ji-seon said: “We are going towards the same goal and it feels fabulous.”

In the short term, the sisters aim to raise brand awareness in the local market to the level that they are also known abroad.

“We have a loyal fan base here, too,” Ji-seon said. “We are slowly building it up, and hopefully more Koreans take a fancy to what we do.”

At the upcoming Seoul Fashion Week, J Apostrophe will grace the stage with a “Jeju Island-themed” collection.

“We realized Jeju Island was the topic we had most talked about so we were like ‘why not try blending this concept in our designs’ and there we go,” said Ji-seon.

Ji-yeon said, “It’s not an exotic party destination like Ibiza for example. Modernity and tradition coexist and it feels peaceful and very artistic. You will see what I mean in the new collection.”

Living as a fashion designer means no break.

After the fashion week, the two plan to expand into China and Europe, and diversify local distribution channels.

“I thought I could always get opportunities when I was young,” said Ji-seon. “But now I know it’s wrong. I take every chance as my last one because it won’t wait for you or it will never come back.”

The J Apostrophe collection can be seen at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul on March. 23. For more information visit www.seoulfashionweek.org.