Lie Sang Bong
Although there is much one can say about Lie Sang Bong, there is still a peculiar shroud of mystery that envelops this Paris based Korean designer. We can recount morsels of his biography, like how he was a theatrical actor in his twenties or how his award winning fashion debut in 1983 was only the beginning of this story the world has been partaking in, but that would only be a superficial disclosure of the man’s life.
Throughout his maturing collections, the audience has always immediately recognized his incredible craftsmanship entwined with a consistent remarkable vision and limitless creativity at the base of his work. His themes seem to go beyond the traditional ambitions of fashion, by virtue of a vision that includes the beauty of aesthetics and the practical aspect of reality. Timeless images of film noir heroines, Cubism, Bauhaus designs, even the love story between Napoleon and Josephine, as well as Korean calligraphy and poetry -these ideas and images have infused Lie Sang Bong’s designs with unrivaled human emotions and ingenious fashions.
Nevertheless, his astounding creations emphasize the importance of extremely feminine silhouettes and a harmonization of cultures. More specifically, a harmonization of chic French fashions and rich Oriental aesthetics. This combination, and its subsequent result, can be said to fit within the realms of art and visual poetry; where each piece reveals the essence of true sophistication within the designer’s expressive mind and eliminates any cultural anxieties .
His latest collection, showcased during Seoul Fashion Week, was inspired by Dol Dam -the Korean technique of constructing walls with different stones. The reinterpretation of this architectural technique combined high quality fabrics like fur, silk, leather and wool in clean-lined shapes defined by perfect tailoring. The three dimensional embroideries came to life within their geometric motifs upon a colorful palette which included the rich yet sombre colors of autumn with splashes of burgundy, imperial blue and hues of pink.
Although the fashion industry is what may have, rightfully, granted Sang Bong his fame, we must nevertheless remember that this man is above all else an artist. He has collaborated with numerous companies and brands to create limited editions of his works of interior design, computers, cellphones and so forth. He has also exhibited his works representing fashion as an art in solo and group exhibitions around the world.
It seems as though fashion provides Lie Sang Bong with a conduit for the conceptual expression of culturally conscious themes. The world’s most famous Korean fashion designer keeps on granting moments of mute encounters with his astounding accomplishments, which provoke powerful, intuitive emotions to all those who are willing to look beyond the superficial.
