THE JOURNAL

South Korea may be the beauty capital of the world – being home to innovative lasers, snail-musin serums and sheet masks – but that is not the only title it holds. The motherland of K-pop and K-dramas has seen an abundance of experimental designers (see brands such as thisisneverthat and JiyongKim) emerge in the past decade. Seoul is a major city to watch out for fresh and innovative streetwear, but also sophisticated, stylish fits, and our photographer snapped the best dressed of the bunch at Seoul Fashion Week.
01. Black is the new black

The notion that a well-thought-out, all-black outfit can do the trick better than pretty much any other ensemble, however skillfully put together, is as old as time. And although styling a monochromatic look that feels new and fresh is no mean task, this attendee at this year’s Seoul Fashion Week made it look fairly easy. He’s mixed tailoring and workwear – shirt, tie and pleated trousers on one side, a utilitarian, oversized bag on another – and combined the kind of textures that, together, feel unexpectedly complementary and certainly wouldn’t end up in our, er, black books.
02. Where there’s a twill

A staple fabric of the soggy British Isles, tweed is commonly – although never common – associated with the leisure pursuits of the landed classes. Hunting, shooting, motoring for early adopters, hence its most famous fictional proponent, Mr Toad (of Toad Hall) of The Wind In The Willows. That it now finds itself in Korean streetwear in puffer-coat form is symptomatic of the metamodernist age that we now live in. The sly smile of this wearer suggests he’s in on the reappropriation. Regardless, packaged here with crisp selvedge denim and polished black Derby shoes is the way to showcase statement textural pieces.
03. Double denim the right way

Oversized denim is one of menswear’s most challenging tightrope walks: one slip, and you look like a sullen teenager visiting the Reading Festival circa 2001. Which is a look that doesn’t need revisiting. The knack, as this show goer so ably demonstrates, is in the proportions: your jeans should gently puddle over the top of your footwear without spilling onto the ground and trailing through puddles. The coordinating denim jacket is for advanced players only: he makes it work by stripping everything else back.
04. It all goes back to the 1990s

There’s something quite fluid about this look. Drapey trousers plus an unstructured great coat paired with a black tee, a black bag and black shoes – all offset by a denim jacket layer. It’s brilliant in its simplicity. It has an air of 1990s-era Giorgio Armani, though it’s thoroughly modern. The best part about this is that it’s extremely easy to emulate. And if you have the cheekbones to match, more power to you.
05. The bike-friendly option

Fashion veterans are well aware that getting a car during fashion week is not the way to go; there’s too much traffic. This gentleman here knows what’s up. And he’s not only efficiently cycling around the city catching shows, but he’s also looking very stylish doing so. His jacket and backpack bring a pop of orange that brightens his otherwise neutral jeans-and-hoodie fit, and his brutalist-black sneakers are the most optimal choice of footwear if you’re going to be cycling around Seoul all day.
06. Which K-pop band is he in?

Y2K fashion came back into style in a big way in recent years and seems to still be going strong in Seoul. Looking a bit like a boybander who has been separated from his mates, this gentleman has fully embraced 2000s-style jeans – baggy fit, stonewashed denim and all. For the rest of his look, he’s gone for a flannel shirt – a recent staple in collections from CELINE HOMME, Off-White and Polo Ralph Lauren – which is perfect for layering over a T-shirt or vest top, and a pair of worn-in Vans. And the cherry on top? A beaded necklace with a star pendant that’s straight out of an *NSYNC photoshoot.
07. Oversized everything

This gentleman here is giving us all a lesson in the power that a big coat has to transform an outfit. The seemingly simple pairing of jeans and a logo T-shirt is already elevated thanks to the wide leg and cinched, high waist of the former (plus a good pair of chunky lug-sole Derbies to keep proportions in check). But throwing on an oversized overcoat, with suitably generous shoulders, takes this look from everyday to just off the runway.