The Samsung Fashion & Design Fund (SFDF) announced on the 30th that designer Jiyong Kim of 'JiyongKim' has been selected as the winner of the 19th SFDF.
Designer Jiyong Kim scored the highest in originality and environmental sustainability, surpassing over 30 strong competitors to confidently take the first place.
Especially, he pursued fashion that was experimental and rebellious, which had not existed before, and his unique 'Sun Bleach' bleaching technique was impressive. His original designs, embodying the value of sustainability created by time and nature, received high praise.
Designer Jiyong Kim, born in 1990, went through Bunka Fashion College in Japan and received both his bachelor's and master's degrees in menswear from Central Saint Martins in the UK.
In the past, in '23, he won the 10 Asian Designers To Watch Award, and in '20, he won both the LVMH X Maison/0 Green Trail Awards and the MDF Fashion Foundation Awards. The brand JiyongKim was launched in '21 and is based in Seoul. It is currently available in select shops like Dover Street Market, Mr Porter, Browns, GR8, and 10 Corso Como Seoul.
Designer Jiyong Kim is famous for his work that injects new life and image into discarded fabrics or products using the Sun Bleach technique. Beyond simple upcycling, his technical approach to creating one-of-a-kind items has garnered worldwide attention. His unique hoodies, cargo pants, jackets, and coats, which have become the brand's bestsellers, clearly define the brand's identity based on its signature silhouettes, patterns, and color tones.
The internal and external jury of the SFDF, composed of creative directors, design directors, and magazine editors from Samsung C&T's Fashion Division, awarded JiyongKim the highest scores in various categories including originality, completion, environmental sustainability, marketability, and brand continuity. His unparalleled originality and environmental sustainability, and the presentation of his unique ideas in the commercialization process, were highly praised.
The SFDF, in order to offer an opportunity to directly experience the winning designer's brand, will hold an exhibition at the Beaker Cheongdam Flagship Store in Cheongdam-dong, Gangnam-gu, Seoul, until the 13th of next month.
Since its establishment by Samsung C&T's Fashion Division in '05, the SFDF, the country's top fashion designer support program, has produced 26 Korean designer teams in the global fashion market over 19 years and provided a total of $3.7 million in support. The winners receive not only a $100,000 grant for design creation activities but also domestic and international promotion and professional business support.
Choi Myeong-goo, the head of the SFDF Secretariat, said, “In the global fashion market, diversity and sustainability are gaining attention, and various designers and brands are emerging. To target the increasingly diverse and dynamic consumer tastes, having a unique identity based on diverse stories is key, and the SFDF will actively discover potential designers and take the lead in elevating the level of fashion in Korea,” he said.
