K-fashion shines at 2025-2026 fall-winter Paris Fashion Week
As one of the world's four major fashion weeks, Paris is known for its avant-garde and artistic presentations, and this season, Korean designers made a powerful statement with their innovative designs.
On the first day of the event, Kimhekim, the brand of Korean designer Kim In-tae, celebrated its 9th anniversary with a collection that seamlessly blended tailoring with Korean sensibilities. The "L'atelier Kimhekim" collection featured sophisticated details such as draping couture, pearl embellishments and mesh materials, creating elegant and flowing silhouettes that captured attention. Kimhekim, which debuted in 2014, is known for its daring experimentation, mixing traditional Korean attire with modern aesthetics. This season, the brand presented looks that were both playful and refined, with soft drapery and sleek silhouettes that resonated with a global audience.
The following day, designer Park Chun-moo's brand, De Moo, unveiled its "From Nothing" collection. The collection, built around the brand's signature colors of black and white, highlighted a striking contrast of bold tones. De Moo's minimalistic approach was enhanced by the use of textures such as wool, jacquard, cupra and metallic fabrics, blending traditional and contemporary influences to create a sensory experience. Park emphasized that the collection served to extend the brand's identity and reaffirm De Moo's unwavering values within the contemporary fashion landscape.
As K-fashion rapidly evolves, Korean designers are leveraging new technologies to introduce fresh, experimental designs. While lacking the long histories and heritage of European labels, Korean fashion brands are quickly responding to consumer demands and setting trends on the global stage.
"A new generation is emerging, blending colors and details with such precision that they create styles even more original than the originals. This movement is not only gaining attention but also inspiring global markets to emulate K-style, with K-pop idols and K-drama stars amplifying its influence," said an official from Korea Creative Content Agency who was at the event.
Korean celebrities also made waves at Paris Fashion Week. Blackpink's Rose, the global ambassador for Saint Laurent, captivated audiences with her presence at the brand's show in a long white sleeveless dress. Meanwhile, Ive's Jang Won-young embraced a cowgirl-inspired look as the ambassador for Miu Miu, and actor Park Seo-jun showcased a genderless look at the Chanel show, pairing a white tweed jacket with a Camellia corsage for an elegant touch. DJ Peggy Gou, a global sensation, attended the Chanel show in a tweed top layered with a belt and chain.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Korea Herald
31 minutes ago
- Korea Herald
Politeness without pressure: How Korean Gen Zers rewrite drinking norms
In Korea, drinking with elders or seniors, whether at work, school or in other social settings, traditionally comes with some etiquette. Beyond using both hands to pour or receive a drink and turning one's head away while drinking, proper manners include holding your glass lower than a senior's during a toast, promptly refilling their glass when it's empty and reserving the seat farthest from the entrance for the most senior person at the table. For younger Koreans who haven't learned these customs firsthand, YouTube tutorials provide a clear breakdown of proper behavior in drinking settings. These videos often target college freshmen and first-year employees eager to make a good impression. Kim Tae-woon, a 22-year-old university student in Suwon, Gyeonggi Province, said he recently watched a video featuring Dex, a TV personality who rose to fame on Netflix's dating show 'Single's Inferno,' sharing tips on traditional Korean drinking etiquette. In the video, Dex introduces customs like turning one's head and lightly pressing the glass to the lips before placing it down when it's difficult to take a full shot poured by an elder, as well as covering the neck of a soju bottle with one hand when pouring for someone else. One of the rules Kim found most memorable was the act of turning his body away when pouring his own drink — a way to avoid drawing attention. Self-pouring, called 'jajak' in Korean, is traditionally discouraged in Korean drinking settings. 'I don't fully understand all the rules, but I make an effort to follow them when I'm drinking with seniors. Even though people say things have changed, I still think it looks good when men show proper manners since hierarchy and seniority tend to play a bigger role in male relationships than in female ones.' 'At first, some seniors thought I was being a bit much with all the etiquette. But later, they actually liked it.' Rules remain, but pressure is easing Korean drinking customs are deeply tied to the country's communal culture, where sharing drinks, or getting drunk together, has traditionally served as a means of bonding and building social cohesion. However, these traditions have also drawn criticism for creating an environment of pressure, especially when participation feels more like an obligation than a choice. While many university students still observe basic etiquette, the era of forcing drinks on others appears to be fading. 'Beolju,' for instance, which translates to 'penalty drink,' is increasingly frowned upon by younger students, who view drinking as a personal choice rather than an obligation. The practice typically involves making the losers of drinking games consume strong, often unpleasant mixes of alcohol. Once seen as a way to break the ice and reinforce social hierarchy, it is now widely considered outdated. Park Yu-ha, a 21-year-old art major at a university in Incheon, said she has never encountered beolju at any student event since entering university. 'If I were ever pressured to drink beolju by senior colleagues at work, I would seriously consider quitting. Drinking should be up to the individual, not something people feel forced into.' Rather than simply drinking less, some students are now embracing entirely alcohol-free gatherings. In May, Yongin University's dance department held a membership training with no alcohol at all. The snack table featured only nonalcoholic beverages, with the organizers explicitly labeling it an 'alcohol-free MT.' Drink like a nerd, or not at all Among Korea's Generation Z, drinking culture is becoming increasingly polarized, either you don't drink at all, or you're deeply into it, says Lee Seung-jun, a 27-year-old university student in Seoul and a member of Wine & Dining, an intercollegiate wine club. 'These days, drinking isn't about everyone getting drunk together. You can have a great time even if one person is drinking heavily and another isn't drinking at all. This kind of vibe has become completely ordinary among my friends and me," he said. Lee, who has been active in the wine club for two years, said more university wine clubs have emerged in recent years, driven by students who approach alcohol with genuine curiosity and interest. 'I enjoy soju and beer too, but unlike them, wine doesn't carry the same image of excessive binge drinking. That's why a lot of Gen Zers who reject old-school drinking norms are turning to wine and joining wine clubs in the process.'
Korea Herald
16 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Classic comic 'Kkeobeongi' to become short-form animation
Beloved four-panel newspaper makes AI-powered comeback on Naver Webtoon, 55 years after debut Long before webtoons became Korea's cultural export powerhouse with their vertical scrolling format, kids in the '60s and '70s got their daily dose of comics tucked into newspaper corners. They would flip straight to the four-panel strips featuring a goofy kid with perpetually droopy eyes and a bald patch on the side of his head. That character was Kkeobeongi, created by the legendary cartoonist Gil Chang-deok (1930-2010). Fifty-five years after his debut, this lovable goofball is being reimagined with artificial intelligence and turned into short-form animation for a brand-new generation. Content company KCD Company announced Thursday its reboot project for the classic character. Founded last year by Gil's daughter Gil Hye-yeon to manage the late cartoonist's copyright, the company is breathing new life into the old strips as part of a wider intellectual property expansion. The company said it is using AI technology to transform the static four-panel comics into moving animations. The updated shorts will roll out on Naver Webtoon's new Cuts platform. The project is backed by the state-run Gyeonggi Content Agency, with Seoul Webtoon Academy Chairman Park In-ha serving as project director. Kkeobeongi had quite the run as a fixture of children's comics — starting in Manhwa Kingdom magazine in 1970, moving to the children's edition of The Joongang Ilbo from 1973 to 1977, and then running in The Chosun Ilbo's children's section from 1980 to 1990. All told, the mischievous kid appeared in 1,584 episodes over two decades. The series doubles as a snapshot of Korea's scrappier years. Episodes capture milestones in the country's development, like the opening of Seoul's first subway line in 1974. In one strip, the kid's aunt splurges on exotic treats—pizza and bananas, both considered luxuries back then — but poor Kkeobeongi is too sick to eat them. In another, he sneaks a sip of his dad's prized Coca-Cola, also a rare indulgence at the time, only to get busted. These little vignettes offer glimpses of a country far removed from today's prosperity. The revival also includes publishing complete collections of Kkeobeongi's newspaper and magazine runs, along with reissues of Gil's other beloved works like "Lady Soon-ak-jil," "Jae-dongi" and "Go-jip-se." The team is even recreating Gil's playful handwriting as a custom typeface called the "Gil Chang-deok font" for use in the animations. 'Gil Chang-deok is one of the most cherished cartoonists in Korean comics history,' said Park. 'His characters capture the childhood memories we all share.'
Korea Herald
17 hours ago
- Korea Herald
Anime 'Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle' storms Korean box office
Japanese franchise hit dominates presales as Korea celebrates liberation The timing couldn't be more awkward — a Japanese anime film is dominating Korean theaters just as the country celebrates its independence from Japanese colonial rule. The latest installment from the hit manga-and-anime franchise "Demon Slayer: Infinity Castle" has already racked up 411,835 presale tickets, claiming 53.2 percent of all tickets sold as of Friday. At this rate, the film appears on track to sell nearly one million tickets before its Aug. 22 release. With exclusive premium screenings scheduled this weekend, some corners of social media are calling out what they see as tone-deaf timing. While Korea commemorates liberation from Japanese occupation, audiences are flocking to a franchise that critics say has fraught associations. Complaints have ranged from the design of the protagonist's earrings, which allegedly resemble the Rising Sun flag — viewed in Korea as a symbol of Japanese militarism and colonial oppression — to its Taisho-era (1912–1926) setting, which coincides with imperial expansion. Even the titular Demon Slayer corps itself has drawn comparisons to wartime student soldiers with its teenage ranks. Last week, tensions spilled over when the LG Twins, a local baseball team, had to scrap plans to have "Demon Slayer" characters throw the ceremonial first pitch at their Aug. 9 game. The backlash was swift and charged, with many calling the promotion inappropriate so close to Liberation Day on Aug. 15. Still, Korean audiences have proven time and again that they can separate art from politics. Back in 2021, the franchise's first theatrical release, "Mugen Train," pulled in 2.2 million Korean viewers despite being dogged by the same controversies. This was in a country that, just two years earlier, had staged boycotts so intense during a trade dispute that Japanese beer sales plunged 97 percent and car sales 57 percent in a single month. "Infinity Castle" kicks off a trilogy wrapping up the anime adaptation of Koyoharu Gotouge's mega-hit manga, following protagonist Tanjiro and his demon-slaying crew into their ultimate showdown in the villain's fortress. It picks up right after the anime's fourth season, which wrapped in May 2024. The film has already been a sensation in Japan, shattering records since its July 18 opening. It scored the biggest opening day ever with 1.64 billion yen ($11 million), the biggest single day with 2 billion yen, and the best three-day debut with 5.52 billion yen, ultimately grossing 22 billion yen to become the country's sixth highest-grossing film of all time. Meanwhile, "Mugen Train" — the 2020 release based on an earlier narrative arc — still holds the all-time Japanese box office crown with 40.43 billion yen in ticket sales. Its runaway success during the COVID-19 pandemic cemented "Demon Slayer" as a global juggernaut and paved the way for this trilogy's record-breaking run.
