NYFW: Son Jung Wan Fall 2017

Ready for the Grammy Awards tonight? There will be tributes to George Michael and Prince. Before that, Son Jung Wan's Fall 2017 runway yesterday already did that. 

Korea's favorite designer was inspired by 1980's music icons this season. She looked to big shouldered silhouettes, flamboyant furs and a showy palette of gold, white, lipstick red and turquoise to evoke the era. 

I love the details like lightning bolt styled seams that evoke David Bowie's classic album cover. Wan's personal favorites include the long haired turquoise fur jackets. 

While some brands water down their aesthetic for the menswear portion of the collection, this label carries the fabrics and attitude throughout both genders. Some of broad silhouettes are tough to carry off if you don't have the height or swagger, but it is a collection for icons, go big or go home!

Congrats to Son Jung Wan on another great season!

Photos by Mariana Leung

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Son Jung Wan Fall 2016

Korean fashion designer Son Jung Wan has described her craft as the act of putting together a puzzle. Her Fall 2016 collection was about combining new shapes and silhouettes and mixing and matching colors and textures.

The puzzle theme is particularly noticeable in the pieced dresses and fur coats. The high contrast black and white palette was shown with a softer, pastel palette of pinks, cream and pale blue. Dresses had an impressive construction of interlocking details or intricate seaming. The most interesting looks were the fur jackets of different weights and textures. The process of combining different minks was created at the Kopenhagen Fur creative center in Copenhagen. Other materials included range from delicate silk crepe de chine to solid leather or lightweight knits.

In addition to checkered patterns, there were thick zig zag styles of fur both as a trim and big fluffy coats. There were a few coordinated menswear looks. Son Jung Wan wanted this collection to be fun. The title was "Playing With Fashion" and I believe she did have fun in designing it.

On this hottest of weekends, I'm not sure looking at so much fur is helping, but when NYC reclaims the winter, I would love to be wearing Son Jung Wan's Fall 2016. Maybe I can sit down, wrapped in one of the big checkered coats and work on the New York Times crossword puzzle. What do you think?

More from Ms. Fabulous:

FENDI's Made to Measure Fur Salon

Dennis Basso Fall 2016

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Son Jung Wan Spring 2016

Korea's favorite designer Son Jung Wan was inspired by the "Gentle beauty of nature" for her New York Fashion Week show for spring 2016. Specifically, her muse was the gorgeous, volcanic island of Jeju in South Korea.

I couldn't immediately see the connection with the aquatic treasure and nature. The fabrics had pretty pastel and metallic finishes. The cuts were sleek and angled for many of the looks. I soon realized that the asymmetric silhouettes were more of an abstract reference to the volcanic structures on the land. I found some photos of the island that showed the delicate flowers that grow there. There were a few looks where the petal embroidery emulated that:

The frosted pink shade and sharp cuts of both the long and short dresses that they were designed for perfectly embodied Pantone's Color of the Year of Rose Quartz. Deeper green and blue hues took their muse from the surrounding island sea and foliage.

While most of Son Jung Wan's fan base is in Korea, she is quickly gaining some famous fans Stateside. The star model of the runway was Ireland Baldwin while Gossip Girl's Kelly Rutherford ran up to give the designer a supportive hug in the finale.

I love how Son Jung Wan's collection always looks sophisticated and feminine without being girly. She can bring in the pastels and embellishments but executes them in a mature way so that grown-ups actually want to wear them. I don't know why that's such a surprise, I think I have had too many bad shopping trips in Asia where high-pitched salesgirls try to bombard me with too frilly bows and pink. Spring 2016 is for the lady, not the baby.

photos by Mariana Leung

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#NYFW: Son Jung Wan Fall 2015

Korean designer Son Jung Wan was inspired by MGM films of the 1950's with their romantic fantasies.  The classic Hollywood glamour of rich furs and sequins was at play on the runway. There were tailored jackets and demure pointed collars that were embellished. A silver palette of shimmering celadon green, taupe and silver gave way to Technicolor orange and purple.

The outfits were generally long. Long coats, trousers, and long skirts were meant to be ladylike. Lots of metallic fabrics were used to offset the cozy cashmere coats. Matched sets of boxy silhouettes remind me of the looks of Hitchcock heroines. There were a lot of outerwear appropriate looks matched with tailoring fabrics wool herringbone. 

While Son Jung Wan may have looked to the past as her muse, her collection took a modern approach to pairing textures and fabric. Her finale gave the cutest moment of NY Fashion Week so far when friend and Gossip Girl actress Kelly Rutherford jumped up and hugged her.

photos by Mariana Leung

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#NYFW: Son Jung Wan Spring 2015

Designer Son Jung Wan was inspired by the concept of Yin and Yang for her spring 2015 collection at Mercedes Benz fashion week.

This concept was expressed in the pairing of rough, hemp fabrics with raw edges with delicate silk.  There was also a color yin and yang in the look of dark rich colors paired with metallic thread details that looked an outfit was struck by a lightning bolt.

Menswear looks included sweaters combining thick, chunky yarns with super light, sheer knits. Each sweater was paired with shorts.  Apparently the men in this world don’t get cold.

While there were plenty of gorgeous looks in Ivory and pastel, the best looks came from a group of clothes in bright jewel tones.  Too many designers fall back on traditional colors they think are warm weather appropriate, but more and more designers like Son Jung Wan understand that customers are gravitating towards seasonless color palettes.

The pastels that the designer did offer were not twee candy colored pieces.  She amped them up to iridescent sparkling creations.  Many of the pieces were embroidered with a combination of solid colored jewels, pearl finish and lenticular illusion pailettes.  This was a great upgrade a fabric that can easily look cheap if not executed well.

I always enjoy Son Jung Wan’s collection as one I would wear.  Unfortunately, even after 8 seasons of showing at Lincoln Center, you would be hard-pressed to find her work in stores here.  You could order from her site, but the online shopping experience leaves a lot to be desired.  The shop does not have a size guide or description of the items.

For now, the collection creates a beautiful picture.  Somehow, I assume she has bigger ambitions than that.

photos by Mariana Leung

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Son Jung Wan Spring 2014

Serenity now.  Son Jung Wan's Spring 2014 collection for Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week took its inspiration from Morocco.  The reference is not immediately recognized, no dark djellabas or dowdy head wraps.  Instead, think relaxation in a private riad, watching a North African sunset.  The colors she used included pretty pink, tangerine and sunny yellows against shimmering ivory silk.

The first part of the show included a lot of origami-type folds and raw edged fabrics.  While this doesn't sound Moroccan, I found similar folded techniques in the leather goods of Fez.  There were some short hemlines for this light spring collection, which I can definitely say I did not see in Morocco.

Design details in this collection included a criss-cross lattice technique that was found on necklines and hems.  The lattice look was also carried into the platform sandals on the runway.  The criss cross look also was echoed in some of the bead and sequin embroidery.  Sequin and bead embroidery.

Son Jung Wan always does a pretty and wearable collection each season at NY fashion week.  I wish it was easier to find in local stores.  It is also refreshing not to have to see a collection theme taken literally.  Who needs to see a camel on a catwalk?

photos by Mariana Leung

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Concept Korea Fall 2013

This season's crop of fashion designers at NY Fashion Week's Concept Korea show was a graphic bunch. The group of designers here presented under the general theme of "Rhythm of Korea" and were hand-picked by fashion power personalities like Fern Mallis and Opening Ceremony's Carol Song.

 Choi Bo Ko, under the label ChoiBoko created a bold collection of looks that blended calligraphy and graffiti art.  Some of the motifs looked like native tribal symbols as well.  The pieces looked warm and layered outerwear with warm sportswear pieces.  The designer favored luxury fabrics like mink, merino wool and shearling.

Son Jung Wan is already a known favorite to represent Korean design.  She already has her own solo show at NY Fashion Week, but shares this runway with her country-mates.  Like previous seasons, Son Jung Wan uses rich dark colors coordinated with pretty prints.  The silhouettes had a hint of retro glam.  The collection was very polished and wearable.

Lie Sang Bong's collection at first looks like a very ladylike, vintage inspired group.  Upon closer inspection you realize the graphic stripe and distorted plaid patterns are printed stripes of techie neoprene.

Now if only the politics of this country was as evolved as its fashion design...

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NY Fashion Week Fall 2013 Preview

What do the designers of NY Fashion Week have in store for us next week? Check out some preview fashion sketches below...

 Pamella Roland's sketches show some sexy, dramatic evening looks.  The designs says she was "I was inspired by the ornate interior of the winter palace in Saint Petersburg, Russia."

Designer Son Jung Wan was also inspired by former Soviet Union, “This season I was inspired by two great Russian works of art: Kandinsky’s balance of color and the ornate lines seen throughout Catherine Palace.”

Monika Chiang however, took a more stark route,  “I’m fascinated by mechanics, the bold geometry and graphic shapes created through flight. It is that raw power and beauty that is at the heart of my Fall 2013 collection.”

Custo Barcelona looks like it has some cozy knits and textures in store for us for fall...

Misha Nonoo is taking a romantic take inspired by "War and Peace".  For Fall 2013, the designer says to “Think Edie Campbell takes a weekend trip to Russia to visit descendants of the Russian Romanov’s for a carefree weekend filled with Fabergé egg hunts and caviar. ”

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Son Jung Wan Spring 2012

One of Korea's top fashion designers landed Stateside via Capri, Italy to show her collection at NY Fashion Week.  Designer Son Jung Wan was inspired by the pretty Italian island for Spring 2012.  She brought the blues of the water into palette, and used silk chiffon to represent the fluidity.  Shimmering golds, sand and ivory represented the landscape and surrounding caves.

The silhouettes were clean, sexy, flattering.  The looks were fashion forward, but not overly trendy.  They were young, sophisticated and exactly what many New York women would want to wear.  The designer added a few menswear pieces that blended seamlessly into the aesthetic.

For more on the styling concept of the show, and Son Jung Wan's journey to New York designer, check out Mdivani Monroe's backstage interviews:

When it comes to fashion,  Son Jung Wan has no problem adapting from East to West.

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