Leesle presented by Global Fashion Collective, Milan Fashion Week, September 2022
GFC
Global Fashion Collective (GFC) showed at Milan Fashion Week for the first time this fall. Led by Jamal Abdourahman, director of Vancouver Fashion Week, the second largest fashion week in North America, GFC has quickly become one of the leading showcases for new talent from around the world, producing shows in various fashion capitals. This innovative organization shows at New York Fashion Week, Paris Fashion Week and Tokyo Fashion Week, with plans to add window displays in London and Mexico in 2023.
Ten international designers were in the spotlight during an exclusive Spring/Summer 2023 runway presentation at Milan Fashion Week in a cutting-edge industrial location near the Prada Foundation. Designers for this first exhibition in Milan included Marisa P. Clark/Faun Studio (Canada), BlueTamburin (Korea), Leesle (Korea), and seven young talents from the Mexican school of design, CEDIM.
BlueTamburin presented a stellar unisex collection that seamlessly blended Western silhouettes with Eastern details. South Korean designer Bomin Kim has been in the industry for over two decades, creating fantastic and imaginative clothing. This collection was inspired by seeing the constellations in the sky after attending a Catholic church service. Aspiring to “zero waste clothing”, his pieces are created using sustainable and naturally dyed fabrics such as 100% silk. A standout look featured a flowing cream dress with a ruffled neckline and balloon sleeves, and a hand-painted image of Venus from Sandro Botticelli’s “The Birth of Venus” on the side. This collection features three-dimensional flowers, lace trims, mesh fabrics, and button details on garments. Another highlight was a long open coat with an oversized collar and wide-leg cream pants with a thick waistband.
Faun Studio presented “Wildflowers”, a collection inspired by fields of flowers and sunsets. This Calgary-based brand was created by Marisa P. Clark in 2017, after graduating from the London College of Fashion. Her branding is feminine and fun, often with bright earth tones and cute prints. This collection was no exception, with garments in shades of apricot orange, sage green and pale yellow. Ready-to-wear looks include short polo shirts, cardigans and maxi dresses. Clark also presented three luxurious handmade crochet pieces, created with hand-spun and naturally dyed wool from Mexico. The final look featured a burnt orange bra and panty ensemble under a wildflower crochet dress that took 40 hours to create.
Leesle Hwang from Leesle presented a dazzling and colorful collection, rich in references to his South Korean heritage. His brand aims to make hanbok (Korean traditional clothing) more wearable and contemporary. This collection was inspired by festivals and the fun atmosphere they create. Leesle’s attention to detail is clear in her impeccable mix of traditional Korean garment elements with street style. The first look featured a cropped white shirt with distressed patchwork jeans, paired with striking green mesh gloves and bright green boots. Many garments also feature brightly colored decorative tassels called “norigae”, a traditional feature of the hanbok style.
The CEDIM School of Design was founded by Alejandro García Villarreal and has specialized in teaching arts, design, innovation and business in Mexico since 1978. Seven CEDIM students were chosen to showcase three looks each, with GFC in Milan. Everyone’s designs were very well thought out – an impressive runway debut. Lorena de la Garza’s colorful, futuristic garments featured cleverly layered cutouts and pieces in a Mondrian-esque masterpiece. Valeria San Miguel presented “Psychedelic Witch”, a collection that shows her love for color and pattern. Her clothes were in baby blue, bright orange, and mustard yellow, with crochet and cute fringe elements. Alessandra Garfias used 3D printing and laser cutting technology for her designs. Her pieces came in stunning jewel tones, were inspired by nature and featured beautiful asymmetrical sleeves. Katya Garza’s collection used natural dyes to achieve pretty peach, robin’s egg, and pastel yellow hues for her three monochromatic looks. Her clothes had a touch of worn street clothes and elements tied with ribbons. Karime Payan used her clothes to comment on the problem of forced disappearances in Mexico. Her pieces featured the faces of missing persons embroidered on an asymmetric cape, a collar, wrapped in chains and cascading from a skirt. Paulina Villarreal Martínez presented “Quimera”, a beautiful handmade showcase with pieces inspired by Frida Kahlo and Thierry Mugler. Her simple and elegant garments were styled with beautiful flower headdresses. Norma Cota’s designs were inspired by the stigma of social disorders. She presented three all-black experimental punk looks that played on asymmetry and oversized silhouettes.
The next Global Fashion Collective editions are at Paris Fashion Week on October 1, 2022, London Fashion Week in February 2023 and Tokyo Fashion Week in March 2023.
Source: news.google.com