Sean Won: Fashion showcase
Sean Won, a fourth-year fashion major from Seoul, South Korea. Photo by Crosby Ignasher.
By Alexis Castillo-Snyder
Can you describe the process of your collection from start to completion?
Alright, so when I took the Senior I class, I was going to do [the collection with a fabric] named neoprene, so it’s a kind of a thick fabric. But everyone is using that fabric now, so I changed all of the fabrics to really light fabrics. I found one similar to neoprene that is felt and double-sided. It’s an interesting fabric. Probably Alexander Wang is going to use that fabric next season. So I used all the black color but first I was going to mix it up with grey and dark green but they didn’t like it, so I switched to all black.
Did you have to change a lot of your initial designs?
Some of them, but not all of them.
What was your inspiration for your collection?
I was inspired by the Grand Tsingy, which is in Madagascar. It’s a pointy stone mountain. So all the detail has really pointy stuff. Like for the cuff there is a triangle shape.
What was the entire experience like? Was it hard? Fun?
Yeah, it was really fun. I didn’t have a hard time. When I was doing the sewing, I [was] really happy with it. I didn’t have a hard time because Sachi helped me a lot. She’s the best.
What inspires you in general with your designs?
Probably street fashion. I search a lot of images and everything. But everything is street fashion.
Can you describe your aesthetic and style of your collection?
It’s really simple for the silhouette, but the detail is kind of hard. I can say it’s contemporary.
How do you feel about the show?
It’s great! Exciting! I’m not nervous at all, just excited.
How has this experience prepared you for the future?
I’m doing my own business right now, so it’s kind of exciting. My own brand has a similar style, so I’m probably going to make better collections for that.
So you do have professional experience?
No, I only had one internship. It was like three years ago in Korea. The designer was the main director of DKNY and she had her own business in Korea, so I had an internship.
When did you actually decide to pursue a career in fashion, specifically design? Did you always know it was what you wanted to do?
Yeah, I always knew; probably in high school or before.
What are some of the most pressing issues facing today’s fashion designers, models, and accessory designers?
I’ve never thought about it. For me, it was being international. It’s really hard to get in [to the States] and hard to get a visa. Still I have a lot of problems with that.
Do you have any advice for future designers?
For seniors, I would say contact Sachi. For me, I’m a future designer myself, too. Probably research a lot and go to fashion shows.
Would you like to add anything?
I am always thankful for Sachi. She is a mentor. And after graduation, she is still my mentor. She is like my life mentor.
