WINNER
2008GUNHYO KIM
Gunhyo Kim is in his mid-20s. He was born in Seoul, Korea, and studied fashion at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Antwerp, Belgium, where he continues to live and work. Falling in love with the classical suits made by the tailors of Savile Row in London, he early on decided on a career in designing menswear. In the avant garde fashion climate of Antwerp, Gunhyo Kim’s design philosophy emphasizing form and tradition sometimes brought him into conflict with the teachers at the Royal Academy. But through his varied projects and shows, his promise became apparent and he wound up being nicknamed the “Star Student” by the British magazine Dazed and Confused.
Gunhyo Kim’s talent is unfolding in many ways, not only in his menswear designs but also in his creations for dance performances, story-telling photography work, and collaborations with various other products. Since graduating in 2007 he has been working with the king of Belgian fashion, Dries Van Noten, and at the same time launching his own label, Il Galantuomo. He made his international debut in January 2008 with a show at Pitti Uomo in Florence and in March at Tokyo Fashion Week.
A born storyteller, Gunhyo Kim borrows images from well known stories such as “The Emperor’s New Clothes,” “Inspector Gadget,” and “Sherlock Holmes” to unfold his collections in the manner of spinning a tale. Il Galantuomo is the Italian for “gentleman” but the clothes that he makes are by no means limited to the gentleman in the classical sense. In the process of finely cutting and recomposing the structure of a strictly tailored suit, the designer’s wit comes into play and the image that emerges is young, joyful, and full of humor. Through repeated study of volume, proportions, and cutting Gunhyo Kim is creating fashions that embody a new standard for classical beauty.
