Madame Woo’s most artisanal collection yet, the SS25 Wooyoungmi menswear collection was an exploration of the contemporary archetype of the ABK (American-born Korean). Through a South Korean lens, the cross-cultural community embodies the wardrobes of standard American lifestyles from yuppie sartorialism and collegiate preppiness to surfer bohème, agricultural utility and the baseball uniform. This meant sportswear and tailoring were shaped with a Georgian edge, doused in the cowboy codes of the Wild West and primed for the beach… or the city… or school. Silhouettes were slender and nipped in at the waist with lace-up cummerbunds. Padded breeches were paired with crisp shirting and skinny ties or baseball jerseys and jackets.
Stepping out to the sound of monastic singing bowl samples composed in the spirit of the South Korean Mantra of Light, models also wore topstitched denim suits, knitted polo shirts and bojagi shirts constructed in accordance with the South Korean art of tying knots or laced suede jackets and waistcoats with knitted surfer beanies. Constructed in the image of oriental temple cloths, billowing silk suits and coats were simple but with an air of ceremonial prestige and inspired by the geometric design language of historical South Korean patchworks, a hand-drawn zigzag graphic was illustrated on nylon bombers, reversible blousons, poplin shirts, surfer tops, jacket linings, waist sashes and bags. Later, cut into trucker suits, car coats and bags, woven tapestries depicting the Great Plains of South Korea reminded guests of the country’s ancient landscape paintings. Some coats and jackets were veiled in netting while dresses were completely hand-crocheted and paired with enlarged wooden surfer necklaces hand-painted with orbital brand logos. Speed racer Oakley sunnies give an air of intensity to the otherwise urbane outing. The main takeaway? The modern man, whether he’s from the East or the West, wants to wear Wooyoungmi.
Photography courtesy of Wooyoungmi.
