GYO YUNI KIMCHOE

How did you two meet? Gyo Kim and Yuni Choe: “We met in New York, but we soon moved to London where Gyo continued studying fashion at Central Saint Martins, and Yuni went to Ravensbourne. During our studies, a new concept store in China offered us the chance to sell some of our garments. Winning Fashion Scout’s Merit Award was a turning point in our careers and a real boost in the early stages.”

Where do you produce your collections? “We make half of our collection in South Korea and half in London. In Korea we can produce high-quality products, while in London we do the more challenging pieces. We also oversee every step there, and we even do a lot of craftwork ourselves in our studio.” Are

you influenced by Korean culture? And what about London’s atmosphere? “Korea’s culture and traditions are a kind of inheritance for us, and they always come through in our designs somehow. London is also really inspiring and unique. Our brand’s signature style revolves around a cross-cultural aesthetic and gender-fluid silhouettes.” What are your main sources of inspiration? “Sustainability as well as social and environmental issues. We define our women as ‘world changers’. They’re intelligent, progressive women who care about the world. We donate part of our profits to related organisations, so we make our customers part of the donation.”

SHOPS: Opening Ceremony (New York and Los Angeles - USA), D-mop (Hong Kong - China)