With a diva's nod, designer steps into the limelight

Fashion designer Seo Seung-yeon only wears jackets that she has designed. Behind her is the Baroque-style pink dress worn byJo Sumithis spring. ByOh Sang-min

Stepping onto the second floor of DeniCheur by Seo Seung-yeon, a couture wedding dress brand store, you are greeted by a pink jacquard dress adorned with dozens of white fabric flowers, lace frills and beads.

The splendid dress, reminiscent of the Baroque era, was the garment that had brought its creator and 43-year-old fashion designer Seo Seung-yeon to the attention of the public eye three months earlier. Prior to that she was not exactly a household name, despite having been a beloved designer among those in the upper echelons of Korea's fashion community for two decades.

The dress and its designer were thrust into the limelight when renowned Korean sopranoJo Sumiwore it in the final round of "Opera Star", a reality show on local cable channel tvN on May 7, and expressed appreciation for Seo by mentioning her brand.

Up to that point in the latter 20 years of her career as a musician, Jo had only worn dresses by Andre Kim, the late designer whose client list also included Michael Jackson. Kim passed away on Aug. 12 last year at age 75.

By wearing a dress Seo had designed, the soprano was signaling that Seo had now replaced Kim as her designer of choice.

"I feel extremely lucky", Seo said in an interview with the Korea JoongAng Daily at her atelier in Cheongdam-dong, southern Seoul, last Wednesday. "I am sorry that Kim, a designer I respected a lot, has passed away but at the same time I thank him for unexpectedly handing me this opportunity. Jo is such a faithful person that she would have worn his dresses forever".

Earlier that day, Jo had dropped by the atelier for a fitting of the dresses she will be donning at a gala concert celebrating the 25th anniversary of her debut, Seo said. The concert, to be held at Olympic Park in southeastern Seoul on Sept. 24, has gypsies as a motif, echoing Jo's latest album "Libera", which includes themes from Bizet's "Carmen" and Dvorak's "Gypsy Melodies". Songs from the new album, which Jo had given to Seo as a gift, filled the atelier during the interview.

After studying clothing and textiles at Catholic University, Seo opened her own dress shop in 1991. The shop's name, DeniCheur, originates from the French word "denicher", which means "to unearth".

The focus of the business later shifted to couture wedding dresses and her brand is now one of only a handful of such shops in Korea. The atelier, which Seo operates with her younger sister, executive director Seung-wan, also offers dresses for theatrical performances and other occasions.

The following are the excerpts from the interview:
 

SopranoJo Sumiappears on the cover of her album "Ich Liebe Dich" in a dress designed by Seo Seung-yeon. Provided by DeniCheur by Seo Seung-yeon

Q. How did you start designing forJo Sumi?

A. WhenJo Sumiwas preparing for her album "Ich Liebe Dich" (released in March 2010) last year Andre Kim had taken ill so he couldn't make dresses for her. Jo's stylist Seo Soo-kyung began searching for a local fashion designer who could create dresses that might go well with the German lieder in the album. Although I wasn't exactly popular among the general public, fashion-conscious people who love my bold and flamboyant silhouettes, colors and patterns - mostly stylists, coordinators, fashion designers, hair designers and entertainers - used to prefer my dresses over those of other designers.

Seo brought some of my dresses to Jo at the hotel where she was staying at the time. The moment Jo saw them, she exclaimed in delight, Seo told me later. Since then, Jo has been one of my most important clients. About 80 percent of the dresses she wore for the album jacket were from me and the four dresses she wore at a Christmas charity concert she gave last year were made by me. She even wore one of my designs when singing Caccini's "Ave Maria", a favorite of Andre Kim, at a concert held last December in memory of him.

What is Jo like as a customer?

As a fashion designer, nothing is more pleasant than knowing that a client will impose no limits on my creative work. I am grateful for the fact that she trusts me more than 100 percent. She just lets me do whatever I want after providing me with a concept. I am so excited by the fact that she is ready to accept even what is beyond my imagination.

How do you feel about succeeding Andre Kim asJo Sumi's designer of choice?

I remember attending a fashion show of his when I was a freshman. At the time I didn't quite like the fact that he was doing so many shows with such dresses of such similar themes. But after 10 years in the business, I realized how admirable he was as a designer.

As a female fashion designer, what I fear most is seeing my designs become stale as I grow older, with a household and kids to take care of. The reason that the majority of world-famous fashion designers are men is probably because they have one beautiful woman who remains unchanged in their mind, while the muse of female designers seems to fade as they grow older. In Andre Kim's case, I can see how much effort he made to maintain his style. I also respect him for reinvesting up to 70 percent of the revenue he earned from his business into his designs, instead of falling into the trap of trying to make more money through other profit-making ventures such as restaurants.

What is the latest trend in wedding gowns?

Lace is definitely the latest buzzword among brides - as a result of the huge influence of Kate Middleton, whose wedding dress was made by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen. Romanticism is the theme for this fall but the focus is more on the delicacy of the material than on the details. What's great about lace is that it gives a feminine and elegant feel, though it could make brides look older than their age. The best advice for brides is that they should think about the style that suits them best. Not many brides seem to know what they really want. It's up to the designer to choose the right materials and design details.

Are there brides who buy a wedding dress with the idea that they will later bequeath it to their daughters?

Yes, but only some of them do that. The majority of them are worried about whether the dress can be preserved for decades. When a wedding dress is kept in a closet for a long period of time, both the color and shape change. Plus, a fantastic wedding dress rental system has taken root in Korea. But, at the same time, I am afraid I have to say that Koreans are less respectful of old things and tend to pursue the latest and newest trends.


By Seo Ji-eun