For the last 24 years, Seoul Fashion Week has been the face of the fashion landscape Korea wants to project onto the fashion world -- one that is as fresh in creative aesthetics as it is powerful in demonstrating timeless beauty. Still, local designers need to be empowered with more financial as well as administrative support to help achieve the decades-old mission, fashion experts said Monday, calling for more active support from the Seoul Metropolitan Government -- the host of Seoul Fashion Week. The biannual show’s latest spring-summer 2025 collection ended Saturday.
“Participating designers receive support but it isn’t much, not enough to allow them to craft their creations to their own taste that truly show their color,” said Cho Jung-yoon, a professor of fashion design at Sejong University in Seoul, describing more financial support as the first step to rendering Seoul Fashion Week more relevant in a world dominated by Paris, Milan, London and New York. Competing with the major fashion capitals requires local designers to be as creative as they want to be, because “that’s the pitch that would sell” in global markets, Cho noted, adding paving the path that would link designers to international buyers is a job the government can take on. “It’s not enough to just have shows and invite some buyers interested in the fashion week,” Cho explained, citing a pop-up event held on the sidelines of Seoul Fashion Week aimed at encouraging buyers to sign contracts.