If the female haenyeo divers of Jeju emerge as a fashion reference every now and then (credit their remarkable matriarchal community, advanced age and inadvertent scuba style), Madame Woo drew inspiration from them this season to highlight her South Korean culture. Her label, Wooyoungmi, has been around for upwards of two decades, but only recently has she started to put her home country front and center. As the global craze for K-pop continues to ripple through South Korea’s creative industries, fashion included, she’s clearly determined to be part of the conversation. Not coincidentally, the signage has just gone up for a boutique located just off Rue Saint-Honoré, its opening anticipated for fall.
In a preview of the collection at her Paris headquarters, Madame Woo mused that Jeju, composed of black volcanic rock, is often compared to Ibiza; so even while these singular snorkelers have upheld centuries of tradition, the island is also a holiday hotspot for young people. It has historical significance, too, as the site of a Dutch shipwreck in 1628 (the press notes were particularly detail-rich in back story). Even to the uninformed eye, though, ideas were merging, colliding and combining to varying levels of success throughout the lineup. Where filmy, liquid-like tops were a seductive foil to Wooyoungmi’s relaxed tailoring, pieces in Latex—both slick second-skin and puddling—did not enhance the looks beyond a stylistic conceit. Outfits composed of interpretative scuba pieces topped with a jacket—from dive to dinner—came across as contrived but could end up worn on stage, entirely as is. Seeing beach-ready looks that boasted bojagi-style wrapping offered more interest than the pajama sets. Then there were jellyfish illustrations floating on gauzy pieces for day and as more abstracted neon forms for night, both versions enchanting amidst the monochromatic layers. The floppy caps that connected Dutch seamen to the female divers were an easy accessory update and could prove popular beyond the runway.
For all the aquatic allusions, the women’s and men’s ranges mainly toggled between a lighter sportiness and a darker sexiness. And they were anchored by a futuristic sneaker developed with RAL7000STUDIO that looked as though shimmery water had solidified into a clunky sole. Madame Woo should feel satisfied that the collection signaled a considerable degree of creative energy, even though it lacked a certain depth.
