Cover Story
Meet the designers shaping a new paradigm in Korean fashion: Baik Jisoo and Kim Inte. Each running eponymous brands, these visionaries are expressing their unique sensibilities and leaving their distinctive marks on the fashion world. 한국 패션의 새로운 패러다임을 구축해 나가는 디자이너들을 소개한다. 백지수, 김인태. 자신의 이름을 딴 브랜드를 운영하며, 자신만의 감각을 펼쳐내는 사람들이다.
Writer. Sung Ji Yeon
When Fashion Embraces Space
Designer Baik Jisoo
In 2023, a new star emerged during Paris Haute Couture season: Korean designer Baik Jisoo. Haute Couture is where fashion transcends into art, showcasing masterpieces that reach artistic excellence. In this realm where designers’ artistic visions are pushed to their limits, Baik captured attention with her distinctive sensibility.
The clothes from Baik Jisoo’s label, JISOO BAIK, are created through a unique process. Rather than starting with sketches, she works directly on mannequins. Using hands-on draping techniques, she experiments with forms until she finds the perfect silhouette. She then incorporates wire structures to inject a sense of freedom and integrate spatial dimension into the garments. Each finished piece resembles a sculpture—simultaneously fluid and structured. As Baik herself describes her design philosophy in three words: “Light, Sculptural, Aerial.”
Her artistic vision has already caught the eye of many, including Hollywood celebrities and famous pop stars who have worn her designs for performances and photo shoots. They seek out JISOO BAIK pieces for their shape-shifting qualities depending on viewing angle, their sculptural presence and above all, their absolute uniqueness. Speaking about the silhouettes she creates, Baik explains, “I want people wearing my clothes to feel both protected and free to be themselves.”
In an era dominated by standardized ready-to-wear fashion, Baik Jisoo opens new horizons in the fashion world through her artistic universe. Baik’s unique sensibility proves the limitless potential of Korean fashion and promises to carry it to even broader international stages.
Photos courtesy of. JISOO BAIK
The Art of Defying Boundaries
Designer Kim Inte
Designer Kim Inte made history in 2019 as the youngest Korean designer to become an official member of the Fédération de la Haute Couture et de la Mode in Paris. After naming his brand KIMHEKIM, after his ancestral clan name “Kim of Kimhae,” he has been developing his distinctive style by masterfully combining and interpreting various elements—traditional, modern, feminine and minimal.
His clothes have several signature features, notably ribbons, pearls and ruffles. These decorative elements maximize feminine appeal while adding striking accents to KIMHEKIM’s clean silhouettes.
There’s another fascinating aspect to his work: beneath the seemingly ultra-modern designs lies a hidden charm—the essence of Korean aesthetics, particularly Hanbok (traditional Korean clothing). Kim actually learned Hanbok-making from his grandmother in his youth.
Drawing inspiration from these childhood memories, he cleverly incorporates silhouettes and decorative elements from traditional Korean skirts and jackets, seamlessly blending them with French couture techniques. For instance, his signature ribbons are tied using traditional Korean knot-tying methods rather than conventional haute couture techniques.
Perhaps it’s his confidence in and love for his cultural identity that has enabled him to create such unique pieces. KIMHEKIM is now carried in over 70 stores worldwide, gaining international acclaim. “Although I initially went to Paris yearning for Western culture, I ended up rediscovering Korea there,” Kim reflects. “The clothes I’ve created from this realization are receiving so much love. It seems that when I convey what I truly cherish and love, people recognize its value.”
Photos courtesy of. KIMHEKIM
