Designers Événements Published at 06 August 2024

Korea upcycle: KEIA collective's newest South-Korean pavillion

KEIA (Korea Environmental Industry Association) advocates for eco-conscious initiatives among creative industries in South Korea and abroad notably. Since 2023, the association has been exhibiting on our IMPACT trade show along with Who’s Next. Their project revolves around supporting and promoting sustainable practices and key players of Korea’s industries on an international scale.

KEIA will be back for September’s edition together with a selection of 14 sustainable brands and creators to present their latest collections and a new concept of Korean pavilion: Korea Upcycle. Jewellery, ready-to-wear, shoes, accessories… Cutting-edge aesthetics celebrating Korea’s creative landscape, where cultural legacy and innovation intertwine. Discover them at Porte-de-Versailles, from the 8th to the 10th of September.

LOVE CHARM

LOVE CHARM specialises in bags and leather goods designs. Their romantic style explores the intricate balance of a modern lifestyle with human and environmental-centred considerations. Through the prism of the emotion of Love’s complexity, Love Charm creates sophisticated and feminine sustainable designs for all occasions. Their dedication to circular value chain models and constant innovation in fabrics processing is at the heart of their identity.

Love Charm’s creations accompany you from dusk to dawn in a poetic and conscious spirit, to illuminate each of your days with style and confidence.

MONTSENU

MONTSENU is a Seoul-based sustainable ready-to-wear brand whose creative philosophy stands on the core principle of reflecting “Harmony in Chaos”, the ambivalence and irrationality of romance. Their creative vision draws inspiration from their cultural and artistic legacy while experimenting with gender boundaries, historical references and societal concepts in a conceptual and architectural approach. Their distinctive patterns and unique fabrics adorn a singular silhouette while diving into the depths of romantic entanglements. Their creations translate into fantastical yet urban aesthetics, an invitation to dream of a new world, where inclusivity and boundless creativity thrive.

ANARCHIA

ANARCHIA’s shoes came to life as an eco-friendly initiative, aiming at reducing leather goods wastes and valorising discarded pieces into new creations. Their motto: “Art is long, life is short” (Hippocrates). In a youthful spirit, their creative philosophy revolves around long-lasting designs, a fusion of art, technology and innovation, in modern and urban aesthetics. Their comfortable and modular shoes cater to each individual’s needs, from safety boots for industrial operators to conceptual shapes of loafers for young creatives. Their circular production model translates into profound commitments to sustainability and high-quality conceptions, to make you walk each step with boldness and inspiration.

HORONG

HORONG approach to design revolves around textile upcycling. Their bags and decorative accessories are constructed with discarded hanbok scraps (a South Korean traditional garment) while celebrating their city of origin’s heritage, Daegu. Their colourful palette intertwines with ethnic patterns as an invitation to discover Korea’s historical craftsmanship and cultural legacy. Horong’s also thoroughly committed to socio-economic development, as their creations are crafted in collaboration with local artisans and seamstresses in Daegu’s area, famous for its historical artistry in textile and traditional garment production. Horong is the exotic touch to your wardrobe that enhances your silhouette in a soland and romantic spirit.

DLS BY DSLSM

DLS BY DSLSM (DESIGN STUDIO SUNGMOOK) is an innovative brand that stands out with its sustainable packaging, shopping bags and upcycled decorative designs. While developing collaboration in a plethora of creative fields, the brands’ experimental approach aims at redefining practicality through imaginative aesthetics and original conceptions. DLS philosophy embraces the ideal of a better future through creation, the search for “something else”, an ideal world where eco-responsibility and design can nurture each other and give life to playful yet conducive productions. An every-day life companion adapting to your desire, to your needs, whether professional or aesthetical.

UPMOST

UPMOST is a lifestyle brand using innovative manufacturing technology and printing techniques to create their conceptual products, bags and accessories notably. Their expressive designs are characterised by colourful hues, modern shapes and lines while being mainly produced from upcycled vinyl and plastic wastes. Their circular and virtuous value chain model associated with contemporary construction techniques make the strength of this urban-infused brand while thoroughly advocating for better consideration and connectedness between creative industries and environmental development challenges. Unique and versatile aesthetics inspired by the hustle of city life to express each individual's singularity with confidence and originality.

KKONTHAT

KKONTHAT is a streetwear brand created in aspiration to reflect our society’s frenetic evolutions. Their creative approach draws inspiration from intergenerational interactions, the ideal of a constructive dialogue from Gen X to the younger Alpha Generation. A universal message articulated around street style aesthetics and vibrant hues of pink, purple and mint as a core colour palette. Their bold and conceptual designs are made-out of recycled fabrics such as polyester and shaped in universal narratives to take part in everyone’s history, honouring each souls’ diversity in the uniqueness of their contemporary lines and lively graphic motifs.

DOBB

DOBB: This sustainable high-end streetwear brand takes inspiration from the world of Arts, Literature and Philosophy to reflect strong social messages and committed narratives in their designs. “Reverse your thoughts, will be rebirth”, stands as the core message of their creative approach and translates into sustainable garment creation with urban-chic aesthetics and conceptual oversized lines. A reflection on society's relationship to expressing their personalities and values through clothing. Their genderless designs address all silhouettes in the hustle of your everyday life, to make you live each day with comfort and pride.

BARAMGYEOL

BARAMGYEOL showcases singular ornaments and sustainable pieces of jewellery crafted from paper layers constructions. Authentic homage to Korea’s traditional artistry in paper shaping (hanji), the brand reflects a spirit of freedom and endless possibilities through the evolutive shapes and countless colour combinations such material procures. The lightness of their designs symbolises endless dynamics of imagination, taking inspiration from Korea’s natural landscape, the country’s sharp and conceptual architecture or the more modern aesthetics of expressive patterns and colour blends. A centre-piece to be, complimenting your wardrobe with in a powerful spirit of singularity, celebrating Korea’s natural beauty and cultural legacy.

TEMPS

TEMPS’ creative approach to leather goods and bag designs stand in the interpretation of their environment’s evolution and the new heritage they aim at creating in Seoul’s creative landscape. Their name respectively stands for time and temperature, as a metaphorical representation of the ever-changing air and feeling in our surroundings atmosphere, reinforced by their commitment to local production and upcycling processes. Their urban aesthetics and contemporary shapes intertwine with practical and timeless designs, fostering convenient yet appealing creations that endlessly transform to follow the frenetic hustle of your daily life. Day and night, Temps’ bags and accessories are the addition to your wardrobe that makes the difference, with style and care to the environment and its future.

CRADLERE

CRADLERE creates unique sustainable jewellery pieces and enhances each personality and natural beauty. Their innovative conceptualisation stands on upcycled discarded plastics from which each piece is crafted. Their distinctive and meaningful values and aesthetics transcend each soul’s singularity in colourful and contemporary shapes, a solar touch and enchanting essence to your outfits. Their one-of-a-kind designs cater to the fusion of technological inventiveness with traditional craftsmanship, particular to Korea’s creative landscape, while celebrating diversity and conscious commitments through their creative message.

HARLIE K

HARLIE K is a sustainable lifestyle brand and vegan bags designer. Their creative process revolves around discarded items they upcycle and revalorise by implementing artistic features and transformative crafts. Their strength lies within Harlie K’s emphasis on handcrafting, ensuring ultimate quality and durability for their products while featuring unique and innovative creations. Their versatile bags, mainly made out of leather scraps, come in a variety of shapes and colours to reflect timeless yet trendy aesthetics inspired and drawn by and for adventurous spirits’ multiple life dynamics.

TOUCH 4 GOOD

TOUCH 4 GOOD brings a spirit of youth and innovation to their interpretation of Korean culture. Lifestyle, accessories, little pieces of jewellery, their selection flourishes along with the scratches of fabrics and materials they upcycle. A social initiative for creative production crafting from shortly used wastes while addressing discarded minds through educational programs and local partnerships with the less fortunates. Their products celebrate Korean cultural legacy while reshaping traditional everyday life objects with modern and conceptual aesthetics. Their philosophy articulates around the power of finding valuable features in raw components, giving them a new meaning to eventually produce one-of-kind pieces that can appeal and adapt to each individual’s tastes and personality.