SEOUL,South Korea,Sept. 6,2024 --CHARLES & KEITH is pleased to announce the launch of its first-ever 'Designer in Residence' project,an initiative aimed at supporting emerging fashion creatives by providing them a platform to showcase their designs and contribute to the evolution of the fashion industry. Underscoring the brand's commitment to fostering diversity,the project exemplifies the brand's dedication to empowering new voices in fashion.
The inaugural partnership features South Korean designer,Seokwoon Yoon,who will be showcasing his Spring Summer 25 collection exclusively at the CHARLES & KEITH Flagship Store in Gangnam from 5 to 19 September 2024. The collaboration highlights a shared vision and creative synergy,resonating with the edgy and distressed aesthetics of the CHARLES & KEITH Fall 24 Collection,which will be featured alongside Yoon's ready-to-wear.
Seokwoon Yoon,a South Korean native,spent his formative years in the coastal city of Busan before moving to New York to pursue his passion for fashion. Yoon studied menswear tailoring and fashion design at the Fashion Institute of Technology and later earned his BFA in fashion design from Pratt Institute. His graduation collection was presented at New York Fashion Week in 2017,and in the same year,he was selected for the CFDA Fashion Graduate Future initiative. His eponymous label,SEOKWOON YOON,is known for its blend of historical and modern-art influences,merging art and ready-to-wear fashion through conceptual themes. Yoon's signature style incorporates the Trompe l'oeil technique,producing oversized,transformed pieces with unconventional constructions,and a continuous exploration of textiles and structures through innovative draping.
"Having partnered with Seokwoon Yoon on his runway showings at Seoul Fashion Week previously,we were thrilled to be able to evolve our support for his namesake label with The Designer in Residence concept this season," said brand co-founder,Keith Wong. "The project is intended to be a practical way to heighten visibility of emerging design talent we have long standing relationships – and great synergy – with,by leveraging our prime flagship locations to highlight their newest collections. We hope the novelty of bringing ready to wear into the store will inspire customers on how to style our Fall products,whilst offering a fresh CHARLES & KEITH retail experience that sparks excitement," he continued.
Seokwoon Yoon's Spring Summer 25 collection delves into the cycle of human life and death,evoking a narrative about the ephemeral nature of moments and the human desire to preserve them,symbolized by the collection's focus on wildflowers as a medium in the life cycle. To bring the collection to life,the transformed CHARLES & KEITH Flagship Store in Gangnam will incorporate wildflowers throughout the store and window displays to echo the collection's themes and create a visually cohesive and immersive retail experience.
Additionally,the brand has teamed with Yoon for a market exclusive Petra bag,a CHARLES & KEITH icon,featuring his avant-garde painting technique,as seen on his signature outerwear. Limited to 30 pieces,this design will be sold exclusively at the brand's Gangnam boutique and online on CHARLESKEITH.KR.COM andSeokWoonYoon.COM.
Discover the CHARLES & KEITH Designer in Residence project at the Gangnam Flagship store,1F - 2F,445,Gangnam-daero,Seocho-gu,Seoul,from 5 – 19 September 2024. The brand's Fall 2024 collection is also now available through its physical retail network and CHARLESKEITH.KR.COM.