In this new era, when big, international off-line in-person runway shows are not practical or feasible, fashion brands are trying new ways to catch the eyes of consumers. In July, people were able to watch Paris couture runway shows from the comfort of their own laptops or smart TVs. Last month, Seoul Fashion Week was held virtually once more. Events like this have moved fashion brands to rethink how they exhibit their new seasonal wardrobes, challenging them to be more creative in bringing clothes together with background visuals and music.
Rameau on the runway
Baroque music, art and architecture of the 17th and 18th centuries create a sense of awe and majesty. Perhaps this is why Samsung C&T Fashion Group’s modern and minimalist clothing brand KUHO selected baroque music to provide the soundtrack to its 2021 fall/winter collection digital runway.
In a first for the brand, this latest digital runway combines fashion and music in a majestic, awesome aesthetic to convey the KUHO identity in a new and exciting way. Many digital runways have background music, but rarely have the sound and images been paired in such a thoughtful and enticing fashion.
Specifically, the music of Jean-Philippe Rameau, one of the most important 18th century French composers of baroque music, was selected for KUHO’s 2021 fall/winter digital collection. Five delicate but stirring Rameau pieces, performed by Camerata Antiqua Seoul and conducted by Chungki Min, were selected for this unique digital runway.
Filmed in what appears to be an industrial warehouse, the digital runway looks and feels very different from the clichés of traditional fashion shows. Chroma key effects project close-ups of the baroque musical instruments, while the models present KUHO’s latest seasonal clothing collection.
The grand music contrasting with the minimalist interior and KUHO’s latest fashions create a pleasant feeling of uncanniness. Fittingly, given that Rameau wrote an important treatise on harmony, this digital runway is also a harmony of the present and the past, the East and the West, and the modern and classical.
An industrially inspired space around the body
KUHO’s digital runway shows off 20 outfits, presenting them as spaces that surround the human body. Layering techniques that combine, for example, pants with skirts, or several layers of a cardigan, hoodie or fur vest inside a coat, create various feelings of space. KUHO’s fall/winter collection is inspired by industrial materials such as concrete, forming a palette with shades of gray, cream and brown. Yellow and lavender have been used as highlights.
Lim Soo-hyun, director of design at KUHO, said, “We decided to create a digital runway video that combines the concept of a fashion show with that of a concert to offer a new cultural experience in line with the trend of the digital era,” adding, “We are going to keep putting out content that heightens communication with consumers while also delivering the identity of KUHO in our own unique fashion.”
Classic modernism takes center stage with LEBEIGE
Also taking the plunge into digital runway show is high-end lifestyle brand LEBEIGE, another label from the Samsung C&T Fashion Group stable. When launching its 2021 winter collection, LEBEIGE tapped top models Lee Hye-seung and Kang So-young to show off its garments, exuding their trademark charisma and attitude against the backdrop of a spartan room filled with natural light.
The look for this winter season is classic modernism, created by fusing a refined and restrained modern touch with the elegance that LEBEIGE is known for. Colors are muted, with shades of black, off-white, gray, brown and beige.
The new items fall into two categories. “Everyday uniform” includes the elements of “newtro,” new but recalling the past, trans-seasonal, or practical and essential regardless of trend or season, and sustainable standard, made of eco-friendly materials and aiming for sustainable consumption.
The second category is “couture at home,” which gives women style even while they stay at home, provides a comfortable yet elegant look, and adds a touch of couture through its materials and finishes.
More digital runway videos from KUHO and LEBEIGE can be viewed by clicking the links.
