I was lucky enough to live in South Korea for a year, where I worked as an English teacher. I categorically do not miss teaching, but one thing I do miss is the shopping, so much so that I wish I could teleport there right now. I can’t overestimate how good it is – the clothes are affordable, beautiful and current. I wrote this shopping guide for a London-based website shortly after returning to Scotland and I’d like to share it with you.
Tokyo typically comes to mind when thinking of fashion hubs in the Far East. However Seoul, South Korea’s vibrant capital city of 23 million people, is snapping at its heels and fast becoming a popular destination for fashion-conscious travellers. Seoul Fashion Week now regularly attracts international buyers; South Korean style can be described as girly yet polished and the city’s well-heeled residents are popping up on street style blogs across the world; and Seoul’s sprawling districts offer idiosyncratic shopping experiences.
One such area is Myeong-dong, a prime downtown district that
has become a global emporium for brands such as Zara, Uniqlo and H&M which jostle for space in the
myriad of incapacious, meandering streets. While marvelling at the sights and
sounds, look out for boutiques, Wiki and SSFW, which
sell distinctly Korean clothes (key pieces include patterned leggings, cropped
leather jackets, pastel blazers and pretty dresses). Another attractive store
is Silk Button, which has an assortment of cheerful bows, scarves and
accessories all fashioned from patterned silk. Aland, an attractive concept
store or for us Brits, South Korea’s answer to Urban Outfitters, combines
vintage garments, unusual labels, handmade jewellery and quirky stationary.
With battered cupboards for changing room and broken old radios as decor, it
would be easy to spend hours in here enjoying the electronic tunes and admiring
the effortlessly hip shop assistants.
Next travel west to Hongdae, where shopping is a much more laid back affair. With quaint boutiques and vintage shops in dilapidated buildings, Hongdae is a charming maze of winding alleys. Neighboring prestigious arts university Hongik, the main clientele in Hongdae is creative and trendy students, all consciously loitering to be photographed by a blogger. At the weekend, the Saturday Free Market sells handmade jewellery, customised clothing and original artwork (which I now have hanging on my walls in Edinburgh).
The south of the city is a thriving creative centre for Korea’s young, emerging designers. Steve J and Yoni P’s collections are youthful and fresh; Fahrenheit Homme offers geeky, urban menswear; and Doii Lee takes her customers on a captivating, mystical journey through her bright, vivid designs. Using exotic flowers and geometric prints, her designs are dramatic and bold, evoking a world of imagination.
For something more traditional, visit Maison
de Leeyounghee.
Over recent years, Lee Young Hee has
showcased her modern interpretations of traditional
Korean dress, Hanbok, in Paris, New York and Seoul to captivated
audiences. Lee Young Hee pays homage to
her heritage, incorporating visionary designs and modern silhouettes with
tradition. Her haute-couture Hanbok is intricately embroidered and
meticulously hand-painted while her designs are rooted in symbolism, culture
and spiritual belief.
If the shopping gets a little too much, Seoul
offers much more besides. Its contentious history makes for fascinating reading
at the city’s museums; ornate palaces that were once home to powerful emperors
are more than worth a daunder; and Seoul’s bars in Gangnam (the area now made
famous by Psy) will guarantee many late nights.
