A Look Back: SEOUL FASHION WEEK SS13

In anticipation of Seoul Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2016, MUTZINE will be looking back at the prominent runway trends from the past five years. This week, we talk about how Spring/Summer 2013 was the season of lime green, peplums, and exposed thighs. Refresh your memory of past seasons by reading our previous coverage of SS11 and SS12.

Words Cathy Wang, Photos Michael Hurt and designers, Art Sam Cello

A SQUEEZE OF LIME

Last year, orange was the trendy color found in almost every spring collection. While hints of the orange trend lingered into 2013, another citrus color dominated the runways. Lime green was the accent color du jour for both men and women. Lime green is a strangely specific shade of green that inches closer to yellow, giving an inherent zest to outfits.

For women, lime green was presented in various different fabrics, all manipulated into dresses. Kwak Hyun Joo created a playful skater dress made from neoprene, creating a full, structured skirt. Big Park featured a leather piece in lime green. Korea’s top designer Lie Sang Bong draped an asymmetrical dress in a light green while Bakangchi created a strong-shouldered dress with a muted green linen. Thought not quite lime green, Jarret’s simple shift was a chartreuse hue, sitting on the edge of green and yellow.

The menswear iteration of the lime green trend was to wear the color from head to toe. Kimseoryong presented a complete jacket and shorts look. Worn together, the complete outfit makes a loud statement. ZE QUUN created a more relaxed and casual way to wear lime green. As a full outfit, the electric color and shapes are reminiscent of the 80’s. With the pieces worn separately, it would be an easy way to introduce lime green into a daily wardrobe.

PROGRESSIVE PEPLUMS

Peplums, once found on every 80’s prom dress, underwent a runway revival in 2012 in the European fashion weeks. The new peplum was refined and adapted for evening wear and casual day wear. The Korean spin on the trend was to play with the fabric’s rigidity – some were unmoving while others were more free-flowing. Additionally, the peplum was made into a removable accessory.

Lie Sang Bong took a more classic approach and presented a stiff peplum attached to the skirt. The geometric shape and red color of the peplum accentuated the waist. How and What created a harness-like peplum made of leather. Styled over a smart, work-appropriate sheath, the addition of the studded leather peplum easily added edge to the outfit. Steve J & Yoni P also presented removable peplums that were open at the front and added volume to the hip. Low Classic paired a pleated peplum with a button up shirt and denim, providing a casual styling option.

THIGH HIGH CUT

Surely influenced by Angelina Jolie’s right leg at the 2012 Oscars and SISTAR’s 2012 summer smash “나혼자,” the new, daring look for women this season was the thigh-high skirt slit. Unlike SISTAR’s skin-tight pencil skirts, the runway interpretation of the trend mainly utilized light and fluttering textiles. Additionally, the dresses and skirts shown in Seoul were not limited to just the right leg as with Angie’s iconic red carpet moment, but designers dared to bare both thighs.

Surprisingly, all the variants of this trend in Seoul were floor-length skirts. SOULPOT STUDIO stayed true to form by only exposing the right leg in a more demure, monochromatic look. Unlike other designers, this skirt was more narrow and form-fitting. Meanwhile, pushBUTTON and Low Classic opted to expose both legs under full, opaque skirts. Low Classic added a trim detail down the sides of the skirt and along the pockets of the dress. pushBUTTON utilized their polka dot motif in a show-stopping skirt. Jaison Couture and How and What kept things light by draping panels of sheer fabrics past the hip.

BOYS WEAR SHORT SHORTS

Men also exposed their thighs this season, though, not to the same extremes as the women’s skirts. However, the men’s short-shorts were shorter than we have seen in a long time. The standard length we’re used to seeing on men is right around the knee. Barely skimming the mid-thigh, the shorts were refreshing for the summer, but definitely not school uniform regulation.

Known for preppy and schoolboy aesthetics, beyond closet cut their shorts mid-thigh for a youthful look. Styled with geometric prints and Baja sweaters, the shorts heated up the summer. Leigh’s shorts were clean cut and classic, meant for everyday wear. Kimseoryong had vacation on the mind with fitted tropical shirts tucked into scandalously short shorts. Better known for designing womenswear, Moon Young Hee presented a longer pair of shorts for men. The full outfit, imagined with long pants is work-appropriate, but with the shorter hem line, the suit is freshened up for the warmer weather. Plus, for the more modest men, these shorts are a fashion-forward option for revealing a little more skin.