Concept Korea is a collaborative endeavor meticulously selecting Korean designers to present their latest collection during New York Fashion Week. For its 10th anniversary during the spring-summer 2015 shows, one of the designers featured was Taeyong Ko and his menswear brand, Beyond Closet. The Fashionisto sits down with the designer post show for a quick chat about his inspirations and K-POP.
Tell us something about what inspired you to become a designer.
I wanted my personal experiences to naturally become part of my designs. Everything that has shaped me into the person I am today can be seen through my collections season to season.
At this point in your career, what challenges are you discovering?
Seeing what designs sell in Korea and if those designs work in New York isn’t so much an obstacle but a great learning experience as a designer. Taking a best seller item like a sweater from my line and seeing if it’s a best seller globally is always interesting to discover.
Where do you get inspiration with your collections?
My past memories and experiences inspire my collection. This can range from movies, the music I’m listening to or even travel experiences. If I ventured to a new place, I look at the landscape and architecture there to see if this is something I can translate into my designs. For this season, “Beyond Closet School Gang”, comes from my high school memories and the action comic books and movies that take place in high school environments. I wanted to reinterpret the free spirited and tough high school students into a modernized fashion collection.
Considering that Korean pop culture, especially K-POP is becoming more recognized worldwide, do you feel that you have more of a responsibility to represent this aesthetic as a Korean designer?
The music selected for this season’s collection is by a K-Pop idol group called Block-B. Not only do I personally know the group leader ZICO, and his songs, but I strongly felt like his music complemented my collection and was a great match for the runway soundtrack. Since Concept Korea is an event that represents K-Fashion globally, collaborating with a K-Pop artist is incredibly important to me and this project.
How do you see your label in the next 5 years?
I want to have a stronger presence in the US, specifically New York. Having my collections in New York City stores and even potentially my own flagship would be an ideal goal that I would like to accomplish down the line.
What advice would you give to aspiring designers?
A designer’s most important values lies in their sources. The more experience the designer has the more they learn and evolve their collections.
Special thanks to Taeyang Ko and Sebastian at PR Factory for the feature.
