Fashion designer Yong Kyun Shin creates elaborate pieces featuring intricate details based on optical illusions.
Text by Anna Battista
The recipient of the Fashion Special Prize at the latest edition of the ITS award, Korean designer and Central Saint Martins graduate Yong Kyun Shin (www.yongkyunshin.com) based his “Extreme of Optical Effect” collection on a sort of complex layering of spaces. Padding created ambiguous spatial illusions, hatched and fragmented elements formed unusual shapes and sculptural forms overlapped one on the other giving out impressions of movement and transitions. The complex geometries and three-dimensional elements in Yong Kyun Shin’s designs often look like intricate architectural structures, rich experiences in the visualisation of optical illusions and spatial distortions.
Zoot Magazine | How did you feel about getting the Fashion Special Prize at the latest ITS competition?
Yong Kyun Shin | It was amazing. The whole ITS#9 experience was actually incredible. There were many talented designers and it was very competitive, so I’m even happier I was among the winners of this edition. I met a lot of nice people who became my friends and I got a lot of attention from the media and this gave me the chance of getting involved in different projects. Taking part in the competition was definitely a good way to introduce myself to some of the main players in the fashion industry.
Zoot Magazine | Was becoming a fashion designer what you always wanted to do in your life?
Yong Kyun Shin | I’ve been drawing since I was 3 years old. It was the only thing I could do better than
anyone else. I still love drawing and creating beautiful things that are not necessarily fashion-related. I
love for example painting, sculpting, taking photographs or making films. I studied Fine Art for a long
time, then, one day, my father, who owns a hair accessory company in Korea, suggested me to redirect my
passion for art into fashion design. He must have seen my talent for fashion earlier than me, so I enrolled at
London’s Central Saint Martins. Superficially, art and fashion design seem to be in the same field, but they
are different, yet I feel my creations stand in the middle.
Zoot Magazine | What inspires your designs?
Yong Kyun Shin | I carefully observe everything around me, from people to objects, streets, films, books and architecture. I then filter all these inspirations through my thoughts and transfer them into my drawings.
Zoot Magazine | What is the main theme behind your latest collection “Extreme of Optical Effect”?
Yong Kyun Shin | This collection was inspired from the continual patterns in optical art. The latter is based on repetitive patterns and contrasting colours such as black and white, but I wanted to employ it in my collection using bright contrasting colours. The different techniques used in this collection helped me
creating a variety of details. In my designs I focus a lot on details, as I think they are very important. In my collection, different tiny details form one beautiful design. For example, I found I could create amazing effects using the back of hair clips and these effects turned into one essential part of my collection.
Zoot Magazine | What’s your favourite piece from the “Extreme of Optical Effect” collection?
Yong Kyun Shin | The black leather jacket matched with the dress. It took longer than any other piece to make and it perfectly summarises my principles since the little details and tight body conscious silhouette create a sharp and well-balanced design characterised by a perfect harmony of forms.
Zoot Magazine | Who are your favourite designers?
Yong Kyun Shin | I like a lot Viktor & Rolf, I love their creativity, designs, catwalk shows and the way they surprise us with their presentations.
Zoot Magazine| You come from Korea, what’s the fashion scene like over there?
Yong Kyun Shin| In Korea fashion is mainly dominated by High Street and luxury brands, so there is a small market for young up-and-coming designers. Yet Korean people are very image-conscious and are discovering cutting edge designers. I think a lot of talented Korean designers like me have a huge responsibility since we must try and create great pieces and convince people to become more experimental by wearing them.
Zoot Magazine | What are you working on at present?
Yong Kyun Shin | I’m working for a company in London as a print designer. They launched a small label with my name on last year and the first season was successful, since my drawings go rather well with their brand concept. Now I’m working on the second collection for them. I can tell you it will focus on beautiful detailed drawings and on lots of colours. I love working on collaborations, as you learn a lot in the process and it’s also exciting to see my designs being produced on a big scale.
Zoot Magazine | Where do you see yourself in five years’ time?
Yong Kyun Shin | Hopefully, I’ll be working on my own label, surrounded by people I love. I’ll probably be
based in London. That’s the only thing I’m dreaming about now. I know I’ll have to work hard to do it, but
that doesn’t scare me!
Yong Kyun Shin will be at Rush Live S/S 2011 on 17th October at London’s Pacha Nightclub.
All images courtesy of Yong Kyun Shin.
