Open House Collections: Korean Designers

Lane Crawford is opening the Autumn Winter season with Open House Collections: Korean Designers – an event to introduce brands and designers brought to Hong Kong from Korea. This is a curation of young brands to note, who are all innovating fashion and creating designs that are conscious, quality, and lie outside of seasonal trends.

You are invited to meet the talents behind BONBOM, EENK & WE11DONE.

BONBOM

1. Are there any specific pieces or design details in your collection that you think best represent your brand’s DNA?

Pleats, especially the pleat structure we call Chandelier. This design detail has been part of BONBOM since our very first collection, Summer 21. The inspiration for our pleats comes from the “zoot suit’ subculture, which emerged in the 1940s as bold statement against societal norms. The use of a lot of fabric back then was a form of rebellion. I wanted to create a pleating detail that uses plenty of fabric while maintaining a clean, modern shape. To achieve this, I designed pleats with stitching in some areas and left others unstitched. Each collection begins with a reflection on previous ones, allowing me to develop while staying true to our brand DNA. It’s crucial for us to maintain that continuity. I plan to further evolve this pleat detail into diverse versions in future collections.

2. Can you mention a few celebrity clients you often collaborate with, and share any exciting or memorable projects you’ve worked on together?

Last year, I had the opportunity to work with Twice on the costume design for their Amazon Music Live performance. They showcased a piece from the Lane Crawford X BONBOM graphic t-shirt capsule collection. The team was fascinated by the dresses made from multiple t-shirts, so we collected second-hand vintage t-shirts along with a few stock items. The result was a great success, and I heard the members loved wearing this outfit.

Just a few days ago, on August 2nd in Chicago, Twice wore costumes that I created for their Lollapalooza performance. We designed a simple white jersey top paired with western-style denim couture pants adorned with Swarovski crystals. From attaching the curved floral pieces on the pants to ironing on the crystals, every step was a labour of love, requiring a lot of effort and time. The crystal-embellished chaps were perfect for their energetic performance that night.

3. If your brand were a soundtrack or film, what would it be and why?

I’m really inspired by the films of Luca Guadagnino, especially his journey and career. I see him as one of the most prolific artists out there, and I truly respect that. He never stops working and continually evolves his style.

Take Suspiria (2018) and Call Me by Your Name (2017), for example. They were released just a year apart, but the mood and tone are completely different. Yet, they both bear his signature, and I can see the connection between them. Similarly, the BONBOM Fall ‘25 collection may look different from the Summer ‘25 season, but anyone who knows me will see how these two seasons relate and recognise that it’s still BONBOM.

If I had to choose one of his films, it would be I Am Love (2010). I love that film because it beautifully expresses the complex inner psychology of human beings. There’s not just one message; depending on what resonates with viewers, the story can take on different meanings. I want customers to perceive BONBOM in a way that reflects how I feel about his films.

4. What feedback or reactions from customers have meant the most to you?

I love when people say they never sell their BONBOM pieces, even at flea markets. It really shows how our clothes create an emotional connection that goes beyond trends. Timelessness isn’t just about basic items; unique pieces from cult brands can also achieve that status when people truly cherish and wear them repeatedly.

It brings me so much joy to see people wearing pieces from our earlier collections. Although my brand was founded just five years ago – making our collections feel relatively recent – I often feel that even last year’s designs have a nostalgic quality, almost like encountering old friends on the street.

Sometimes, I get feedback from female customers saying I really get what women want and that I connect with their sensibilities. It amazes me and reminds me why I love doing what I do.

EENK

1. Are there any specific pieces or design details in your collection that you think best represent your brand’s DNA?

The pieces that truly capture EENK’s identity are our structured shirts and tailored outerwear. These garments embody the brand’s aesthetic by blending practicality with sculptural forms and emotionally resonant silhouettes.

Our shirts are a staple each season, but we always reimagine them with fresh details and cutting techniques inspired by our seasonal themes under the Letter Project. Rather than just basic wardrobe items, they serve as distinctive statements unique to EENK. Features like deconstructed collar structures, asymmetric flaps, and three-dimensional seam lines reflect our narrative-driven design approach.

We also incorporate detachable utility details and ornamental closures, developed through layering and fastening techniques. This embodies our core philosophy of emotional functionality, where practical design is infused with expressive, narrative intent. These elements resonate with Korean design aesthetics, such as the beauty of layering and emptiness.

International customers perceive these aspects as a subtle yet powerful expression of our identity. Ultimately, EENK’s signature pieces are not just beautiful or trendy; they are sculptural forms that encapsulate the story of each season and collection, clearly conveying our brand philosophy.

2. Can you mention a few celebrity clients you often collaborate with, and share any exciting or memorable projects you’ve worked on together?

One of our most memorable collaborations was with actress Jeon Doyeon. In addition to creating costumes for her films and dramas, we’ve designed special pieces for significant moments, like her dress for the Baeksang Arts Awards. A particularly unique challenge arose when we designed costumes for the Netflix film Gil Boksoon. We had to create silhouettes that accommodated a wired vest necessary for the action scenes, which was a new experience for us. Reading the script and collaborating closely with the actress and stylist to find outfits that fit the scenes was an exhilarating and immersive process.

Our celebrity clientele in Korea spans diverse fields and generations, including Jeon Doyeon, Son Yejin, Han Sohee, Shin Mina, Song Hyekyo, IU, Tang Wei, Lee Siyoung, Hyomin, BLACKPINK, TWICE, GOT7, Riize, Park Bogum, Byeon Wooseok, Yim Siwan, BTS V, and TVXQ Yunho. Most recently, G-DRAGON drew significant attention by wearing a cardigan from our new ‘K for KNIT’ line during his concert and sharing it on Instagram. The moment when our cultivated aesthetic and sculptural quality merge with an artist’s stage presence creates a special resonance for us as creators.

3. If your brand were a soundtrack or film, what would it be and why?

One of the films I’ve recently connected with the most is Pedro Almodóvar’s latest work, The Room Next Door. His films always have this intense yet delicate emotional depth, and the way he blends colour, structure, and the characters’ inner worlds in a single scene closely mirrors the creative vision we strive for at EENK.

The tension between silence and conflict, confession and control in that film resonates with the emotions I experience when designing clothes or developing a collection. I was particularly struck by how The Room Next Door portrays feminine interiority and memory, using its mise-en-scène to convey these themes in a sensory and wordless way. This aligns deeply with the narrative aesthetic that EENK aims to express.

4. What feedback or reactions from customers have meant the most to you?

The most meaningful feedback EENK receives is when our clothing is seen not just as something to consume, but as a memorable scene, a form of self-expression, or a piece that accompanies someone during a special moment in their lives.

One of the most common compliments we hear is that “EENK’s designs effortlessly balance being polished without feeling overdone, fluidly transitioning between formality and freedom, fitting naturally in both formal and casual settings.” Knowing that a single outfit can adapt so gracefully to various situations makes me feel deeply rewarded as a designer, especially considering the countless hours of thought and struggle that go into it.

We often hear comments like, “EENK is even more satisfying to wear than it looks,” and “Whenever I wear EENK, people always ask what brand it is.” These moments reassure us that the invisible aura and quiet presence we aim to convey through our garments are genuinely communicated. This provides us with an irreplaceable sense of fulfillment as creators and motivates us to continue developing new collections.

Ultimately, the most meaningful feedback for us is the trace of changed attitudes and memories that our clothes evoke. That is why EENK exists, and it inspires us to keep writing the story of each new season.

WE11DONE

1. What feedback or reactions from customers have meant the most to you?

Customers have referred to our Seoul flagship store as “My K-pop idol’s closet.” It features a collection of WE11DONE pieces that have been spotted on idols at the airport and in their YouTube appearances. The variety of items perfectly showcases the contemporary aesthetic and the latest trends currently popular in Korea.