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 first installment brings us all the way back to Spring/Summer 2011 and highlights the colors and silhouettes sent down the runways of Seoul.

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

ASSORTED ANORAKS

Anoraks, or parkas, are a practical springtime staple; they keep you warm and dry during unexpected showers, yet they are lightweight enough to keep on when the sun returns from its winter hibernation. Almost every show this season sent an anorak down the runway. 

Menswear featured traditional and familiar styles of anoraks. Constructed canvas jackets could be found in the collections of dominic’s way and MVIO. JUUN J featured anoraks thick enough for the winter, but they were made of nylon and styled without pants, making it more appropriate for warmer weather. 

Womenswear proved to produce more playful variations of the anorak. Reminiscent of a rain poncho, Softcore presented a paper-thin jacket with a metallic sheen. THE CENTAUR styled an acid-washed denim anorak over a floor-length lace dress whereas Steve J and Yoni P’s safari green jackets were layered over zebra leggings, proving the anorak to be a functional, stylish, and practical garment in the spring.

NATURAL NEUTRALS

White, black, and all intermediary shades of gray never go out of style on the runway. However, in addition to monochrome and grayscale, various shades of brown, beige, and sand were prominent in the season’s shows. While some designers played with structure and form, others mixed textures making beige anything but beige.

Known for well-tailored men’s suits, kimseoryong presented dress shirts with stripes akin to wood grain as well as full, three-piece suits in sandy tones. SONGZIO’s collection of relaxed, draped garments deviated from a purely black and white show by inserting pale brown shorts and muddled beige jackets.

Lee Young Hee’s luxe fabrics mimicked natural textures and colors such as straw, woven bamboo, or bark. These textiles were then manipulated into traditional and historical Korean dress silhouettes. Z&DOEUN and Lie Sang Bong also looked to nature for inspiration with leaf, floral, and feathered prints

 SLEEVELESS IN SEOUL

Continuing with the theme of practicality and function, the omnipresent vest on the runways of Seoul were a clear nod to the transitional spring season. Heavier outerwear such as leather motorcycle jackets were chopped at the shoulders, exposing the arms to the impending sunshine while the core is protected from lingering winter breezes. 

The raw edges on suit jackets at beyond closet and denim shirts at Resurrection made it look as if the sleeves were spontaneously and haphazardly ripped off. dominic’s way presented long vests that almost reached the floor, allowing for easy layering.

For womenswear, instead of simply removing the sleeves from easily-recognizable trench coat and blazer jackets, designers such as Lie Sang Bong and Big Park transformed these wardrobe staples into versatile dresses. KAAL E.SUKTAE remained true to form by styling boxy, neoprene vests over tight, thigh-skimming dresses. 

PRETTY IN PINK

Just as outfits benefit from a “pop of color” or a “point,” collections and runway shows keep the eye entertained with a garment that deviates from the normal color palette. From blush tones to highlighter hues, pink was undoubtedly the accent color of the season for both men and women.

MVIO and beyond closet both had singular pink jackets in their shows as focal points. Although MVIO sent cream, green, and navy colorways of the same jacket down the runway, the pink variant was the most memorable, as the hue was not utilized in any other piece in the collection. The dusty rose jacket was the final look at beyond closet, leaving a lasting impression. 

Softcore and Doii both embraced bright and electric pinks as main colors in their shows, each showing a subset of head-to-toe pink outfits. Meanwhile, the subdued, muted pink jumpsuit at Softcore brought excitement to the show amongst the parade of white garments.