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For fashion, it’s ‘Gangbuk’-style

January 21, 2015
(YouTube screen capture)

(YouTube screen capture)

By Rachel Lee

There used to be a huge gap between “Gangbuk,” the area of Seoul north of the Han River, and Gangnam, the southern part of the capital, when it came to fashion.

Gangnam, which has Garosu-gil and Cheongdam-dong, were long the epicenters for local and luxury fashion trends. Ganbuk was seen as being grittier and less upscale.

These days, however, the situation is reversed. When it comes to fashion, districts north of the river are now king, industry insiders say.

“Over the past few years, a lot of designers have left for areas in Gangbuk such as Dongdaemun and Hannam-dong,” said designer Choi Ji-hyung of the label Johnny Hates Jazz. “These places are now leading the fashion industry.”

Choi has moved her showroom to Hannam-dong in the Yongsan District in the northern part of the city. Park Seung-gun of the label pushBUTTON, among others, has followed suit.

Dongdaemun has come back into the spotlight too.

In the late 1990s, shopping malls such as Migliore and Doota won the hearts of the younger generation with their trendy items.

Today, it has become a popular destination among rising, up-and-coming designers. This year’s Seoul Fashion Week was held at the Dongdaemun Design Plaza and The Korea Apparel Industry Association opened its Ledome showroom in the area to promote Korean fashion by showcasing the country’s emerging designers to overseas buyers and media.

“Dongdaemun is a must-see place for tourists thanks to the popularity of the Korean wave. Dongdaemun-based designers like me are trying to show something very unique to appeal to both local and overseas shoppers,” says designer Seo Eun-gil of label Gil Homme.

Shoppers who live in Gangnam are also making their way across the Han River to snap up trendy items.

According to Shinsegae Department Store, one of the country’s major retailers, the vast majority of male consumers visiting its branch in Jung-gu, northern Seoul, live in the southern part of the city.

At that location, the highest percentage of shoppers came from the Seocho District, south of the river; followed by those from the Gangnam District.

These days, more and more high-end fashion brands, such as Valentino and Golden Goose Deluxe Brand can be found at department stores. Designer labels including Alexander McQueen and Dries Van Noten will enter Shinsaegae’s Jung-gu store next month.

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