Korean designer Lie Sang Bong has had a long career with his
collection, creating stylish confections inspired by everything from
calligraphy to film noir heroines. The designer just opened his first boutique
in New York in the Meatpacking District but already has fans in celebrities
like Beyonce and Lady Gaga.
For his spring 2015 collection however, the designer
dedicated his Mercedes-Benz Fashion Week show to the young victims of the capsized
South Korean ferry the MV Sewol.
This was by no means a morbid, sad presentation though. LieSang Bong collaborated with artist Jang Seong Hyo to create a “dream road”.
They created a runway of beautiful glass tiles featuring motifs of clouds and
florals to represent rebirth and optimism, a “path to the sky”.
The fashions themselves were designed to be uplifting. There
were hopeful motifs of clouds, butterflies and a magical garden of blooms
across form fitting gowns. Lie Sang Bong
has always dedicated his design practice in exploring the most innovative
techniques like laser cutting and digital printing along with traditional
crafts like hand embroidery.
Fashion can often be accused of being frivolous or purely commercial.
However, there are those designers who approach this craft as an art form. Artist
Ai Wei Wei created a spectacular backpack installation in remembrance of the
young victims of an earthquake. Does a fashion designer who produces a
beautiful collection in memory of ferry victims also have artistic merit? Can a
pretty dress by Lie Sang Bong also be meaningful? Why does art stop being art
when it is purchased and worn on a body?
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| photos by Vladimir Weinstein |
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