Seoul, the capital of South Korea, is known for its diversity and for being an inspiration for many artists, including designers. Let’s see how the trends in this city and its street fashion are presented
Seoul is definitely characterized by one thing – diversity. It is a city where modernity meets history. Alongside traditional Korean homes, somewhere between historic temples, you’ll find the headquarters of major technology companies and state-of-the-art skyscrapers. Koreans, though attached to their culture and tradition, are not afraid to experiment, also in the field of fashion. It is in Seoul that the annual Seoul Fashion Week takes place, and the style we see there is certainly one that is unusual and unique, to say the least
However, interesting trends are not only seen on the catwalks – street fashion in Seoul also surprises and delights. As in other fashion capitals, especially in metropolises as large as Seoul, styles intermingle and mix, arousing interest through the confusion of colors, patterns, and materials. Seoul seems to evoke an even more pronounced sensation in fashion lovers. Let’s find out how the style of this city’s residents presents itself.
Fashion is for everyone. This statement, though trite, is often actually forgotten or overlooked. Why? Because of the habits and stereotypes that we have about clothes and their roles. We identify specific colors with women’s fashion (for example pink), just as we associate handbags, bags or sacks only with women’s closets. We associate men’s fashion with subdued colors and patterns and the lack of eye-catching accessories. Such stereotypes, however, are rightly debunked by the inhabitants of Seoul, showing that clothes and accessories do not have an assigned gender or group of people who have a monopoly on them.
Something that characterizes the style of Seoul residents is wearing multiple layers and often seemingly contradictory items of clothing. So on the streets you will easily see people wearing sporty sweatshirts combined with elegant coats. On warmer days we will see people wearing more airy, everyday clothes, decorated, however, with many accessories, seemingly reserved for greater output. However, the categories and purpose of the clothes do not matter here – more important are the aesthetic issues combined with comfort and a good sense of style
An equally interesting phenomenon, especially considering the relatively petite body structure of Koreans, is the popularity of oversize clothing. At every turn, we come across people almost drowning in large sweatshirts and T-shirts. It’s not just clothes that come in XXL sizes: accessories such as bags and sunglasses are also common on the streets of Seoul.
A fashion trend that has been attracting a lot of attention is the so-called couple fashion. The idea is very simple; couples wear matching clothes and often even share a piece of clothing. This is not only a romantic gesture that allows the lovers to be recognized from afar on the street, thanks to the fact that their clothes match or are in the same color palette, but it is also an interesting fashion phenomenon. This does not mean, however, that couples dress like twins, in exactly the same clothes. Here, too, it’s all about creativity and variety, and clichéd motifs or prints aren’t quite what we’re used to
