MINJI KIM STUDIOS BY YU CHIAO KUO
Welcome to the playground. Min-ji Kim isn’t toying around, except for the fact she is, throughout all elements of her design practise. Cavorting textures, patterns, silhouettes and structures to create a psychedelic, albeit enigmatic, feast for the eyes.
Almost every look in Kim’s Spring/Summer 2023 womenswear collection, which served as her masters’ capstone from the London College of Fashion, could be interpreted as a whimsically modern rework of the employees at Willy Wonka’s wacky chocolate factory, or if the high school students of Euphoria suddenly enrolled at Parsons School of Design.
Kim’s final look elucidates the concept of heirloom, as examined through the lens of a uniform by flirting with proportions, dimension, and, by consequence, the relationship between the wearer and the garment. A boxy blazer takes on new life in its beyond ludicrously capacious form. The look is a smorgasbord of references and ideas, yet it feels cohesive in the broader context and fashion landscape. A Pepto Bismol pink lapel feels right amongst the juxtaposing rugby jersey striped sleeves. Nothing says power dressing more than a six-foot long shoulder pad. Who cares for quiet luxury when a world of bombastic and unabashed explosions of eclectic eccentricity awaits?
YU CHIAO KUO: Children’s book illustrator Yu Chiao Kuo presents scenes that are rooted in nostalgia, evoking an innocent wonder that harks back to the discoveries of growing up: dressing up in your mother’s clothing, building worlds for your stuffed animals and discovering independence. Using acrylic paints, Kiu invites conversations about the naive dispositions of her characters.
Follow Yu Chiao Kuo @chiaochiaoart