For the Spring Summer 2025 collection, Wooyoungmi goes into the multifaceted identity of the American-born Korean (ABK), a cultural archetype that blends South Korean heritage with American lifestyle. This collection draws inspiration from the diverse wardrobe influences experienced by ABKs, ranging from the laid-back coolness of California and Hawaii to the sporty prep of Ivy League institutions and the rustic charm of America’s Western heartland. Presented during Paris Fashion Week, this cross-cultural exploration is reflected in various style domains such as yuppie sartorialism, collegiate prep, surfer bohemian, agricultural utility, and the classic baseball uniform.
The centerpiece of the collection features designs inspired by Far-East Asian cowboys, where lean silhouettes are accentuated with cummerbunds featuring crisscross lacing reminiscent of early baseball jackets. This baseball uniform sensibility permeates the collection, evident in laced suede jackets, denim waistcoats, knitted varsity jackets, and structured baseball trousers and shorts crafted from leather, suede, cotton, or denim. A standout piece is the satin baseball jacket with a WYM logo, hand-painted in the style of South Korean seoye calligraphy.
A ‘wild, wild East’ theme emerges in durable workwear suits and cargo trousers made from drill or denim, along with topstitched denim suits, knitted polo shirts, and plaid shirts. The inclusion of bojagi shirts, constructed using the South Korean art of knot tying, adds a traditional touch. This organic and crafty aesthetic is further explored through magnified wooden surfer necklaces hand-painted with orbital WYM logos, knitted surfer beanies, and knotted mixed-material trainers. The collection also features woven leather loafers, hand-crocheted dresses, tops, and shorts, and coats and jackets veiled in netting, all displaying Wooyoungmi’s minimal and graphic sensibility.
The Great Plains of South Korea are immortalized in trucker suits and bags with images of ancient South Korean landscape paintings. This rootsy atmosphere is projected into the future through a zigzag graphic inspired by the geometry of historical South Korean patchworks. Hand-drawn, this motif produces an organic yet futuristic form, appearing on nylon bombers, reversible blousons, poplin shirts, surfer tops, linings, cummerbunds, and bags. This light sci-fi element is consistently present in the garments, complemented by the hi-tech appearance of speed-inducing Oakley sunglasses.
Wooyoungmi’s journey through time captures the relaxed yet formal yuppie tailoring of the ABK businessman, highlighted by shirts and neckties. This traditional business attire is transformed by the collection’s bohemian attitude, materializing in billowing silk suits and coats. Constructed with the sensibility of oriental temple cloths, these pieces combine simplicity with ceremony. The collection’s soundtrack, composed in the spirit of the South Korean Mantra of Light and featuring monastic singing bowls, enhances this cross-cultural narrative. Take a closer look at the collection in the Gallery below:
