When was the last time you marvelled over something in fashion?
One of the things that has impressed me most recently was Dior’s Fall-Winter 2026 collection. I was fascinated not only by what Jonathan Anderson presented as Dior’s creative director, but also by the ability of a fashion house to create an entire world around a collection. The way the Tuileries Garden was transformed from simply a show venue into part of the concept was particularly memorable to me. Even the invitation – a miniature version of one of the iconic green chairs from the Tuileries – was beautifully connected to the place and the story of the collection. I was also impressed by the close relationship between Dior and Bureau Betak, and by the way their long-standing collaboration brings together the vision of the fashion house and the expertise of the production team. Having worked on fashion productions myself, I find that kind of relationship both inspiring and remarkable. The show reminded me once again of the power of a fashion house, the power of a Creative Director, and also the many people behind the scenes who make that vision possible.
Do you have an industry story or experience that you have never talked about?
The fashion shows I worked on during the Covid pandemic remain some of the most surreal experiences of my career. At the time, everyone had to be tested immediately before the show, wear masks, and be extremely careful around one another. In Korea, the health and safety protocols were particularly strict, and because I was working on government-supported fashion projects, I felt an especially strong responsibility to make sure everything was done properly. At the time, there was absolutely nothing funny about it. But looking back, I sometimes think it could have been a scene from a Bong Joon-ho film. The difference was that we weren’t watching the film—we were actually living in it.
What has been a highlight of your career so far?
One of the greatest joys of my career has been being able to see the world through my work. I have worked across different fashion cities – including Seoul, New York, Milan, Tokyo, Paris and Shanghai – and along the way I have met so many wonderful people. Being able to travel, work and build relationships through fashion has been a great privilege and one of the things that keeps me excited about what I do. I also hope that AI will eventually help us communicate across languages in a much more meaningful way—not simply translating words, but carrying the emotions and nuances behind them.
Is there any fashion show — no matter how far back — that you would have loved to attend?
One of the shows I would have loved to experience is Alexander McQueen’s Spring-Summer 2001 show at La Défense in Paris. McQueen’s shows were always at the very peak of creativity. Before I began working closely with fashion weeks, my agency was producing fashion advertising shoots. At that time, there was no social media, so I experienced fashion mainly through magazines. McQueen’s shows made me want to understand fashion shows as something much bigger than simply presenting clothes.
Another show that had a strong influence on me was Alessandro Michele’s Gucci Fall-Winter 2020 presentation. The collection, the space, the music and the relationship between the runway and backstage all felt like parts of one carefully constructed work. His collaboration with Gus Van Sant on Ouverture of Something That Never Ended expanded that idea even further into film and culture.
What these two shows have in common for me is that they taught me what a creative director can be: A creative director is not simply someone who creates clothes, but someone who can imagine and orchestrate an entire world around them. That way of thinking has had a strong influence on how I approach my own work.
What three words or ideas might guide your professional growth through the coming year?
Create. Culture. Faith. To keep creating and trying new things; to see fashion as part of culture rather than simply an industry; and to keep moving forward with faith even when I don’t have all the answers.
If you could make any fashion wish come true, what would it be?
Paris Fashion Week has always been a very special place for me. It is somewhere I can experience fashion with all my senses, and every time I am there, I feel that I am learning something new. My personal fashion dream is for the agency I started in Korea to one day become a global agency that can thrive further in Paris as well. I have worked at fashion weeks in different cities and met so many wonderful people along the way. That experience has been one of the greatest joys of my career and one of the reasons I continue to love what I do. So more than anything, I hope I can continue doing what I love in a bigger world, with good people, for a long time to come.
This interview has been lightly edited.
