WINNER
2015Kathleen Hanhee Kye
Designer Kathleen Hanhee Kye earned a bachelor’s and master’s degree at London’s Central Saint Martins and made her debut in the F/W 2011 season at London Fashion Week with her label KYE. She was selected as one of the Ones To Watch Menswear Designer for her S/S 2012 collection. She quickly became one of the fashion designers most admired by K-pop stars after making her Seoul Fashion Week debut during the S/S 2013 season. She then advanced to New York Fashion Week as a member of Concept Korea, a collective of celebrated young designers, and staged her shows for five consecutive seasons until F/W 2014. She was also one of the 30 finalists of the LVMH Prize. Many authoritative press organizations such as VOGUE, MTV, Forbes, and Reuters pointed to Kye as an “emerging designer to watch” and “atrailblazer of new fashion trends.”
Dong-A Ilbo, one of Korea’s major newspapers, selected Kye in 2014 as one of the “100 Koreans Expected to Bring Honor to Korea in a Decade.” Kye is striving to leave her mark in the history of fashion by engaging in an array of fashion-forward activities, including designing for her label, offering unique interpretations of fashion as a stylist, sharing her ideas in TV programs, and collaborating with international fashion brands.
She tries to bring attention to today’s social problems via her designs. She often draws inspiration from issues such as school violence, the homeless, and youth unemployment.
Her label KYE features designs focused on rendering wit, humor, and fun, rather than those heavily loaded with trendy details. KYE’s strength lies in its funky yet high-end streetwear vibe combined with the designer’s unique styling aesthetics. She is particularly acclaimed for her flair to translate artistic motifs into creations that actually appeal to consumers. KYE is being showcased by more than 50 prestigious stores across the globe including Opening Ceremony, I.T, Harvey Nichols, and Browns.
