What do designers in Seoul get for lunch? What do they keep on their desks? And what music do they work to? We asked Seoul-based fashion journalist and photographer Hong Sukwoo to scope out the office of Korean menswear brand MVIO, and we were not disappointed. MVIO's creative director, Han Sanghyuk, collects everything from Simpsons characters to Korean action figures, showed us pieces from his super fresh spring collection, and let Hong rummage through MVIO's extensive archive room. Below, we ask the designer about his fall collection (in OC stores now!) and what's getting him excited about Korean fashion right now.
Shop all MVIO here.
Photos by Hong Sukwoo
Alice Newell-Hanson: Hi, Han Sanghyuk! Where is the MVIO studio? What's the area like?
Han Sanghyuk: Sitting in my office on the 11th floor of the Cheil Industries building, I can see modern buildings, huge mountains, and Kyungbok Palace (which was built about six hundred years ago), all in one view. Our studio is located in the center of Seoul, the place where the past and the present coexist. That's what I love about Seoul.
ANH: What music are you listening to at the moment?
HS: My favorite song these days is "Stillness of the Mind," by Abel Korzeniowski. It's from the soundtrack of A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford.
ANH: Have you already had lunch? What are you going to get?
HS: I haven't had lunch yet because I was in a meeting. But I will go grab something right after I finish this interview!
ANH: Can you tell us about your design background?
HS: I studied fashion design at university. Fortunately, I was born with a talent for telling a story through garments. For storytellers, including myself, I believe imagination is the most important trait to possess.
ANH: What's the story behind MVIO?
HS: I joined MVIO as creative director four years ago. It was founded in 1995, targeting the younger generation that was crazy about MTV and Western culture. Supposedly, the brand name MVIO came from a combination of the words “music” and “video.”
ANH: How would you describe the MVIO aesthetic?
HS: MVIO tries to find its identity by understanding the beauty of classic menswear and recreating it with a modern perspective and innovative ideas. We love suits, blazers, and jackets with delicate cuts and details but we make them sophisticated and witty.
ANH: What was your concept for Fall/Winter 2012?
HS: I love Star Wars and I collect all the Star Wars Lego series. The movies are about the conflict between the Republic, led by the Jedi, and the Empire, led by Darth Vader. Which side are you on? Good or evil? It's not a question of absolute black or white. Rather it's a grey area where one can be either good or evil, depending on the situation or mindset, and these tend to change from time to time. Through the fall theme “2 Perspectives,” I tried to embody the meaning of war with a grey camouflage pattern. I tried to express the main theme using grey because it's a mixture of black and white.
ANH: What's your favorite detail from the collection?
HS: The wrapped pockets and collars
Shop all MVIO here.
Photos by Hong Sukwoo
Alice Newell-Hanson: Hi, Han Sanghyuk! Where is the MVIO studio? What's the area like?
Han Sanghyuk: Sitting in my office on the 11th floor of the Cheil Industries building, I can see modern buildings, huge mountains, and Kyungbok Palace (which was built about six hundred years ago), all in one view. Our studio is located in the center of Seoul, the place where the past and the present coexist. That's what I love about Seoul.
ANH: What music are you listening to at the moment?
HS: My favorite song these days is "Stillness of the Mind," by Abel Korzeniowski. It's from the soundtrack of A Single Man, directed by Tom Ford.
ANH: Have you already had lunch? What are you going to get?
HS: I haven't had lunch yet because I was in a meeting. But I will go grab something right after I finish this interview!
ANH: Can you tell us about your design background?
HS: I studied fashion design at university. Fortunately, I was born with a talent for telling a story through garments. For storytellers, including myself, I believe imagination is the most important trait to possess.
ANH: What's the story behind MVIO?
HS: I joined MVIO as creative director four years ago. It was founded in 1995, targeting the younger generation that was crazy about MTV and Western culture. Supposedly, the brand name MVIO came from a combination of the words “music” and “video.”
ANH: How would you describe the MVIO aesthetic?
HS: MVIO tries to find its identity by understanding the beauty of classic menswear and recreating it with a modern perspective and innovative ideas. We love suits, blazers, and jackets with delicate cuts and details but we make them sophisticated and witty.
ANH: What was your concept for Fall/Winter 2012?
HS: I love Star Wars and I collect all the Star Wars Lego series. The movies are about the conflict between the Republic, led by the Jedi, and the Empire, led by Darth Vader. Which side are you on? Good or evil? It's not a question of absolute black or white. Rather it's a grey area where one can be either good or evil, depending on the situation or mindset, and these tend to change from time to time. Through the fall theme “2 Perspectives,” I tried to embody the meaning of war with a grey camouflage pattern. I tried to express the main theme using grey because it's a mixture of black and white.
ANH: What's your favorite detail from the collection?
HS: The wrapped pockets and collars