Why Seoul cannot join top fashion league

Models walk in the finale of the Concept Korea in the Fall/Winter 2016 New York Fashion Week in February.
/ Courtesy of KOCCA

Jung Ku-ho, executive director of Seoul Fashion Week

By Kim Jae-heun

Riding on the popularity of "hallyu," or the Korean Wave, the fashion industry is one of the sectors that the Korean government has been trying to boost as the next driving force of hallyu after K-pop.

One of the things on the to-do list was to put Seoul Fashion Week into the world's top fashion league alongside that of New York, London, Milan and Paris. However, the result seems never the nearer.

The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG), in particular, put much effort in an attempt to turn the capital city into the fashion hub of Asia. Part of the endeavor is the 484 billion won ($413 million) neo-futurist landmark Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) opened in 2014. The venue is now home to Seoul Fashion Week, the country's biggest biannual fashion event, which has been holding its shows there since the DDP's opening in 2014.

International fashion gurus participate in a seminar themed "Globalization of K-Fashion and Case Studies of Some Prestigious International Fashion Brands" during the 2016 F/W Seoul Fashion Week on March 23.
/ Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation

The Seoul Design Foundation, an affiliated organization of the SMG running design-related programs at the DDP, appointed renowned fashion designer Jung Ku-ho to direct Seoul Fashion Week in March 2015.

He is contracted as the executive director of the Seoul Collection for three seasons and during the first two, he invited buyers from luxury department stores such as Harrods, Selfridges and Barneys New York to encourage business with local designers. Seoul also supported Jung to pay high-profile fashion media personalities such as Vogue International editor Suzy Menkes to visit Seoul in an attempt to spread the word on Seoul Fashion Week as Asia's hottest fashion event.

However, both of Jung's ventures failed.

A scene at 2016 F/W Seoul Fashion Week's trade show, Generation Next, held in Mullae-dong, Seoul
/ Courtesy of Seoul Design Foundation

First, international buyers' budget was inclined to be spent on major collections presented at the Fashion Weeks in New York, London, Paris and Milan. They may have some money left over after the four big events, but even with that small amount, there is no guarantee that merchandisers would spend it in Seoul.

Jung was well-aware of this and he deemed his role was to invite world-class buyers at the Seoul Collection and it is the designers' job to sell the clothes, if not give the buyers a good impression to return here for an order next season.

During the 2016 Fall/Winter Hera Seoul Fashion Week, held from March 22 to 26, about 2,000 international and domestic buyers and journalists attended the fashion event and discussions were had over possible deals totaling $6.73 million.

Fashion designers Kim Tae-gun, left, of YOHANIX and Lee Ji-yeon of Jarret pose during the Concept Korea show at the Fall/Winter 2016 in New York Fashion Week. / Courtesy of KOCCA

However, it is unknown how many of the designers actually successfully made a contract for orders. Over 80 percent of the purchases came from Chinese and Southeast Asian buyers, which is said to be propelled solely by star power as popular Korean celebrities wear local designers' clothes on TV shows and soap operas broadcast overseas.

Sara Maino, senior editor of Vogue Italy, said during a press seminar at the latest Seoul Fashion Week in March that Korean designers need to be more creative, curious and should travel a lot.

One of the reasons that Korean designers fail to pursue uniqueness in their clothes is plagiarism. Veteran designer Jang Kwang-hyo said that he often sees some of the young designers rip off hit designs from European runways, usually held two months earlier than the Seoul one, and apply them to their collection.

In the 2016 F/W Seoul Collection, French brand Vetements's trademark oversized fit and long sleeve looks were easily found in many Korean designers' clothes including well-known designer brands Ordinary People, NOHANT, SOULPOT STUDIO and Kiok.

Menkes also advised that holding the Seoul Fashion Week ahead of the fashion shows in New York, London, Paris or Milan would not make any difference and Korean designers need to show distinguished designs whether they are traditional or modern. The editor added that Korean designers do not necessarily need to adopt Korean traditional details just because some Westerners find beauty in Oriental elements.

Executive director Jung suggested that Seoul Fashion Week needs a star designer who can shed light on the local market and bring fashion gurus to Seoul on their own, but confessed that it would take a long time and much effort.

The Korea Creative Content Agency launched a government-backed fashion project Concept Korea to send talented Korean fashion designers to stage fashion shows in New York since 2011, but it may take some more time for the project to bear fruit.

Every year, different designers take part in the project and the rotation does not help Korean designers to obtain contracts from foreign buyers as building connections is important in the international fashion industry and persistently exposing the brand name gives trust to global merchandisers.