Thursday, 1 June 2006 | Senay
Wooyoungmi Paris Shop
The old stones breathe anew. For the opening of her first boutique abroad the Korean designer Wooyoungmi began by immersing herself with the building, taking in the air of this ancient Parisian quartier and its history. The walls, floors and ceilings have been stripped of all the coats and covers put up by past occupants. Masters of restoration have then applied their art and the surfaces have recovered their original beauty. Now they wear just voile of whitewash creating a delicate and immaculate atmosphere.
The spiral staircase, the little door and window looking out on to the courtyard have also re-found their original aspects. Luminous areas have been restrained thus avoiding waste. In this atmosphere of subdued lighting, one feels almost at home. Wooyoungmi feels well and truly at home. We find, in the way she installs herself without pushing the walls, the same delicacy that characterizes her menswear designs. Her collections continue to evolve men's wardrobes without renouncing the past. In the same way all is thought out, accomplished, contemporary by returning to the foundations of the edifice.
This boutique is a meeting place. The shop window on a diagonal invites the passer-by to push open the door. All along the walls the smooth Ductal furniture resembles pleated fabric. One enters quietly into this universe. Contemporary and ancient materials mix like old friends. Matt and gloss, gray and white are accomplices.
The two fitting rooms also play on dualities: one has a translucent glass partition whereas the other's is opaque with a curtain reminding customers that "Silhouettes have their secrets" for those who prefer the maximum of privacy... Imagined by the designer Wooyoungmi on the advice of the architect Hyun-Jung Lassalle- Song, this boutique of 70 square meters is a Korean showcase in the heart of historical Paris.
About Wooyoungmi
For eighteen years in the 'Land of the Morning Calm' Wooyoungmi has been imposing her vision of men's fashion. Born in 1959 this Korean designer has never felt like creating clothes neither for herself nor for her girlfriends. It's definitely men that she prefers. In 1988 after studying fashion at Seoul University she founded her company 'Solid Corporation' and immediately opened a menswear boutique under her name in the district of Apkujung. Already the style is delicate.
The color range plays on her nuances of mist, pastel and dusts, a welcome change from the eternal navy and black. And she delicately leaves her mark in her choice of materials and cuts along with textures that make you want to caress them. The garments are streamlined and enriched with details and styled finishes that re-invent the wardrobe for men without scaring them.
Wooyoungmi is a seductress. Little room for fantasy in her collections, she is one of a rare breed of menswear creators who design clothes with respect, precision and determination. Each of her seasons emerge as a continuing romance with her hero 'the contemporary man'. So delicately that the Wooyoungmi style never fails to seduce. Young Korean men feel at home with her elegant style mixed with personalized touches like traits of character.
The retail stores multiply and the label is now leader in casual wear in the southern peninsular. In 1997 the brand starts to export to Europe and the United States, there too the success grows rapidly. Step by step. And Wooyoungmi keeps her feet firmly planted on the ground. She just follows her work. The wardrobe grows to include accessories and leather goods. The company now counts some forty-five employees. In July 2002 she shows for the first time in Paris.
Next to the international labels and creators her silhouettes stand out straight away as a breath of fresh air. Her style more polished with each season. Guiding men towards a contemporary and not complex look is definitely her objective. At number 44 rue Vieille du Temple in the Marais district, today there is a genuine Asian talent that's coming into bloom.
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