Seoul Has Spoken—These 6 South Korean Designers Are the Ones to Watch

During fashion month, the world gets enamored by giant, conglomerate-backed luxury houses and refuses to look elsewhere. On European runways, some of our editors' favorite brands churn out look after look to a die-hard global audience that's been following them for years. Fashion has always been a showcase of the glitz and glamour, but in an industry that feels overproduced and oversaturated, this editor has started to step away and think about the age-old question that fashion is all about: What happens to the little guy?

Every year, hundreds of talented designers present on a local level, showcasing their collections to a room of homegrown talent that has inspired their raison d'être. Most of the time, these smaller-scale brands are some of the best-kept secrets in the fashion industry when it comes to raw and authentic talent. Such is the case of Seoul Fashion Week, which happens thousands of miles away from the chaos and circus of the "big four" fashion calendar. Over the span of five days, 30 South Korean designers get the chance to showcase their collections to the world thanks to the Seoul Metropolitan Government's well-oiled operation to encourage both international and local buyers, influencers, and press to turn their gaze toward the East Asian fashion capital that's slowly but surely gaining traction. After experiencing it myself, I can confidently say Seoul is the training ground for some of the industry's most talented identity-driven designers.

Whether you're a streetwear buff or a fan of simple and modern tailoring, the designers at Seoul Fashion Week have something for everyone. Below, browse six South Korean designers that need to be on your radar immediately before the world catches on. 

Oftentimes, minimalism can fall flat. Simply put, how many pairs of tailored pants and clean-cut shirts can an editor take before everything starts to look the same? Unlike the same copy-and-paste looks that designers can churn out season after season, Ceeann's romantic take on suiting, simple separates, and sharp tailoring has won the hearts of several K-fashion buffs. The brand has gone on to show at Paris Fashion Week—no doubt due to its capital C chic identity that feels reminiscent of the fashion people who can't say no to a well-constructed, pretty pair of pants. Sign me up.

Trained in South Korea and New York City as an alumnus of the Fashion Institute of Technology and the Pratt Institute, designer and master tailor Seokwoon Yoon is more than just a buzzy designer taking over the alternative cool-kid scene at home and abroad. Following stints at Public School and Gap, Yoon's self-titled label is a culmination of every moment and accolade the designer has earned, from CFDA support to being recognized as one of Seoul Fashion Week's rising designers in 2020. 

Depop girlies, rejoice. Vegan Tiger, one of the highly anticipated brands of Seoul Fashion Week, is far more than just kitschy prints and a funny brand name. Founded in 2015 by designer Yang Yoona on the basis of creating chic, cruelty-free clothing, Vegan Tiger's array of fresh-feeling crotchet, corsets, and pajama pants have earned their place as lust-worthy staples for Seoul's fashionable Gen Z crowd. The brand's spring/summer 2024 motifs? An alternative, youth-led take on mishmash design. Asymmetrical corsets were paired with knee-high boots and free-flowing, floral-printed midi skirts—not unlike outfits chronically online teenagers with great style would wear. As a 24-year-old teenage girl, I approve. 

Not many brands can reach the buzzy, cult-like status that Bongseok Gwon's denim house has garnered over the last few seasons. With celebrity fans like Rosé from BlackPink and the boys of K-pop group Seventeen, BLR has established itself as a brand to watch. Gwon's case study on alternative denim—ripped, bleached, dyed, destroyed, studded—was on full display during Seoul Fashion Week. As more and more designers turn toward experimental denim (hello, Matthieu Blazy's leather Bottega Veneta jeans and Glenn Martens's cool-kid Diesel), BLR's impression feels like it'll last more than just a moment. Rather, it's establishing itself as a brand leading the movement toward avant-garde yet wearable displays of casual style. 

If you're looking for a sign to step into fashion sensory overload, look no further than Seoul Fashion Week's over-the-top unisex streetwear label Holy Number 7. With sheer glitter pants and neon-colored ruffled skirts, Holy Number 7's ethos for its S/S 24 collection revolved around sporty boxer motifs and unconventional challenges to the norm. Like most other designers at Seoul Fashion Week, Holy Number 7 prides itself on eco-friendly fashion, approaching construction and consumption with high-tech methods to reduce waste. In lieu of traditional wool and denim textiles, the brand adopted direct digital textile printing to create as little waste as possible and near-zero animal-derived fabric. 

Ladies who lunch have never looked better. Combining Parisian romance and peak-summer Hamptons class, 02 Armoire is the label for the fashion person who wants nothing more than to look and feel like a million bucks. Delicate accents, pastel colors, and classic cuts define the South Korean label as one of the homegrown brands to watch that delivers more than just frilly pieces. The brand's S/S 24 collection, frankly, was more than just the ruffles and bouquets that were sent down the runway. Under it all, exaggerated cuts and well-done clothes prove that 02 Armoire looks great and is just as technically sound as the rest of South Korea's A-class designers despite the art world's notion that traditionally feminine clothing isn't anything to admire. There's something great about beautiful, simple, and delicate clothes, and 02 Armoire blows everyone else out of the water in that department.