N.Y. Fashion Week blends celebrity, sophistication

NEW YORK (AP) ― New York Fashion Week was equal parts celebrity and sophistication Tuesday, with runway shows that included a collection by red carpet favorite Naeem Khan and a new line by Serena Williams.Naomi Campbell made an appearance at Badgley Mischka’s show, which also marked its silver anniversary, while a trio caused a stir with a no-clothes fashion moment. U.S. Open 2014 tennis champion Serena Williams (center) with Vogue editor Anna Wintour (left)during New York Fashion Week. (AP-Yonh

Sept. 10, 2014

Japan architects sell a lifestyle on global stage

TOKYO (AP) ― A new generation of Japanese architects is scoring success by reinterpreting the past. Unlike their predecessors, who modernized Japan with Western-style edifices, they talk of fluidly defining space with screens, innovatively blending with nature, taking advantage of earthy materials and incorporating natural light, all trademarks of Japanese design. And their sensibility that speaks to a human-oriented yet innovative everyday life is proving a hit abroad, said Erez Golani Solomon,

Aug. 12, 2014

Stroke by stroke, Hangeul grows popular in design

With his untamed shoulder-length hair, dark-rimmed glasses and loose-fitting black outfit, calligrapher Kang Byung-in has the quintessential look of an artist. The name of his company, Sooltong, might suggest that he likes his drinks: Sooltong can be translated as “barrel of alcohol.”Indeed, he does like drinking, Kang admits during an interview with The Korea Herald last month at his cramped studio in the artists’ enclave of Hongdae area. As Kang explains it, Sooltong is a double entendre in Ko

Aug. 1, 2014

Listen to what your bag has to say

Bags are more than simple carriers. In an exhibition underway at the Simone Handbag Museum, bags are the source of inspiration for artists, who presented works exploring the meaning of bags in relation to sound. Odd as it may sound to associate bags with sound, the exhibition seeks to explore bags as representations of the personalities of the holders using sound as a theme. As part of a series of exhibitions before the launch of the handbag brand 0941 by Simone, the exhibition “Bag is Rhythm” s

July 30, 2014

Fashion campaign with artistic touch

Luxury fashion houses have recently begun inviting renowned artists to add artistic sophistication to their style. Louis Vuitton launched an advertisement campaign under its new creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere, who took over from Marc Jacobs last yearThree respected photographers, Annie Leibovitz, Juergen Teller and Bruce Weber, participated in the campaign “Series 1,” which features Ghesquiere’s muse Charlotte Gainsbourg and two other models. Photo shoots under the new three-part campaign

July 30, 2014

Fashion KODE kicks off Wednesday

Fashion KODE, an annual trade show for Korean fashion designers, kicks off Wednesday at the AT Convention Center in Seoul. It is one of the largest fashion fairs in Korea with more than 400 local and foreign buyers and 120 Korean fashion brands attending.The fair has invited buyers from major fashion stores in Hong Kong, Japan, France, Italy and the United States. Among them are Harvey Nichols Hong Kong, Free’s Shop in Japan, L’Eclaireur Paris and Tomorrow Ltd in Italy. A large number of top fas

July 15, 2014

Cork: It’s not just for wine and bulletin boards

NEW YORK (AP) ― Cork. It’s not just for wine stoppers and bulletin boards anymore. Embraced by some progressive furniture makers decades ago and a staple in housewares, cork has found a larger place among shoes, handbags, jewelry and other fashion accessories. Designer Elaine Turner is a proponent of cork, which is renewable, feather light and water-resistant. So is Ingrid Heinkel, who imports cork accessories ranging from men’s wallets to a woman’s backpack in a tiger stripe design.  Tiger Beng

July 10, 2014

For brides, it’s all in the details

This season’s nuptial fashions fall on opposite sides of the aisle: ethereally sweet and rustic chic, or softly structured and urbane.Yet despite the different silhouettes ― Vera Wang boho, for instance, is all about empire waists and slip-dress sheaths, while a city ceremony might star a cleaner Reem Acra frock with trumpet skirts and peplums ― modern gowns are united in the details.Sequins, pearls and beading are hand sewn on the simplest of gowns in dazzling geometric patterns. The sparkle, r

July 9, 2014

Not an ordinary chair

Along the “design promenade,” the curved, flowing passageway inside the Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Seoul, visitors pass by stylish, unique chairs. Some take a look, while others hardly notice them and go straight into the exhibition space. The DDP staff recommends visitors pay attention to the chairs, designed by 112 furniture designers from 30 countries around the world. “Visitors are not sure whether the chairs are just decor objects or real chairs that they can sit on. The chairs displayed he

July 7, 2014

Master of textile art, flavoring past with present

Choi Ae-ja, adjunct professor of Korean traditional costume at Konkuk University Graduate School of Design, has been selected the “Korea Arts and Culture Master” of traditional craft in fabric dyes. The title recognizes her excellent craftsmanship of extracting natural dyes of colors that are produced only through chemical dyes. The honorable designation is awarded annually by the Korea Art and Culture Organization, one of the largest and oldest associations in Korea to promote Korean culture an

July 3, 2014

Delicious mix of food and crafts

Cooking doesn’t end when the food comes out of the oven. The finishing touch ― serving it on stylish dishes ― is necessary to elevate the culinary experience.Refined and creative tableware by Korean craft designers and artisans, which create a sophisticated dining experience, is now on display.Organized by the Korea Craft and Design Foundation and opened on Wednesday, the event is the biggest market and showcase of various craftwork made by Korean artisans across the nation. It is easily accessi

June 26, 2014

Urban greenery redefines cityscape

Modern architecture has created the same gray skyline in metropolitan cities, losing the link with the nature that surrounds them. Inviting nature back into the city can offer the sense of comfort that nature provides and give a unique character to cities, according to Toyo Ito, winner of the Pritzker Architecture Prize in 2013. “Modernism and the technologies architects apply to their buildings make them look alike. Imagine a man living in a modernized building and surrounded by furniture and a

June 24, 2014

Mirror, mirror: Style meets activity trackers

Eight kilometers equals approximately 10,000 steps.How do I know this?Because just as I made it to the 8-kilometer mark on the Kelly Drive loop Saturday morning, the teeny LED lights in my red Fitbit Flex started doing the happy dance. And the silicone wristband ― reminiscent of cyclist Lance Armstrong’s Livestrong bracelets ― vibrated.I stopped for a smoothie and did some grocery shopping. And when I got home, I synced the Flex to my laptop and ― drumroll, please ― my grand step total was 18,14

June 18, 2014

Modern meets traditional at London menswear shows

LONDON (AP) ― In the world of women’s fashion, London often plays second fiddle to other style capitals ― it lacks the allure of Paris’s haute couture or the polish of Milan’s luxury labels. Yet when it comes to dressing gentlemen, no city can rival the British capital’s heritage. Steeped in a rich history of tailoring for kings, army generals and the world’s wealthiest men, London is now being marketed as the home of men’s fashion ― the original birthplace of the tuxedo jacket, the bowler hat a

June 18, 2014

Team sheds light on architectural differences between two Koreas

Deviating from past editions, this year’s Venice Architecture Biennale asked all 66 participating countries to respond to a common theme ― to focus not on architecture itself but on architectural “history” in order to examine how different nations adapted to modernity in design over the last century.The Korean Pavilion has spotlighted differences in the architecture of South and North Korea since national division, for which it was awarded the Golden Lion for Best National Participation on June

June 13, 2014

Bug-free, cooler fabrics highlight summer apparel lines

Shopping for a summer wardrobe can be tricky. Style choices are simple: it’s either short-sleeve or sleeveless shirts, normal-length long pants for men and shorter pants for women. The trick is how to look chic while staying cool in the hot, sticky weather. To achieve both style and cool effects, one essential is a summer fabric that uses the latest innovative technologies to keep the body temperature down. Some basic fabrics that give wearers a cool feeling include linen, fabric made from the f

June 11, 2014

First lady’s fashion raises question: Who pays?

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Michelle Obama’s fashionable clothing has become something of a given in her five-plus years as first lady. Yet her wardrobe still is the subject of endless public fascination and one long-simmering question: Who pays for those incredible outfits? It’s no small matter. Her high-low fashion choices mix everyday, off-the-rack fare with custom creations from top designers whose gowns can run into five figures. In recent weeks, Mrs. Obama has turned heads with a forest-green Naeem

June 4, 2014

[Weekender] More than a piece of jewelry

As more people are choosing clothes and jewelry that highlight the wearers rather than specific brands, jewelers have started creating one-of-a-kind jewelry that can showcase the wearer’s personal history. Jewelry designer Jung Soo-yeon, who launched her jewelry brand Tanello in 2000, says she has succeeded in attracting both foreigners and Koreans in Seoul looking for such unique jewelry. “I focus on the private feeling that the jewelry can give to the wearer,” said Jung in a recent interview w

May 23, 2014

Polishing the image of factory-built homes

AKRON, Ohio ― Factory-built homes have long suffered from an image problem.But it’s time for that image to change, representatives from the industry say.Tim Williams, executive director of the Ohio Manufactured Homes Association, thinks people may be surprised by the homes if they see them.“People think they’re just trailers,” he said. “If they see it, I think they’ll realize the benefits” in terms of affordability and quality.These aren’t the shoddily built tin cans of old. They’re well-constru

May 21, 2014