Hello everyone! This past New York Fashion Week I had the honor of attending the Queenie Zoë fashion show! I fell in love and was in absolute awe as her pieces hit the runway and knew I that I needed to interview Bomin Kim, the designer behind Queenie Zoë! Here is our interview below. Also, a huge thank you to Serena for translating this interview!
1.You’re from South Korea correct, which city are you from? Can you describe it for those of us who have never been there before?
Yes, I was born in Seoul, the capitol of South Korea. As you know, this ten-million-population city is famous for 1988 Seoul Olympic. Of course you can see lots of skyscrapers covered with glaring glass wall in this city, but such five magnificent palaces of Chosun dynasty show its six hundred-year-old history with twenty six kings. Whenever I visit the Kyoungbok Palace, I find the circular eave lines of palace building are in perfect harmony with surrounding mountain and nature.
Seoul has clear four seasons. In spring, flowers and mild wind make people feel good. In summer, it’s very hot and the sun prevails all over the street and buildings. In autumn, the city is covered with romantic colors but its brilliant period is too short to enjoy. November brings some gloomy wind that one cannot begin anything new, but beautiful winter comes with white snow. This distinct four seasons have given me lots of inspiration in great harmony with nature, human and city.
2.Growing up, were you always interested in fashion? What made you want to become a fashion designer?
When I was a little girl, I believed my clothes had shrunk as my mother told me that. So I thought I could wear my mother’s beautiful coat when it had shrunk. Also, I would be able to give it to my doll after happening another reduction. I waited and waited the day when clothes got small. But one day, I found that clothes have not shrunk and on the contrary, only I grew. Then I decided that I will make clothes by myself. I may have been four years old or so and I cut curtain or sock’s lace secretly in order to sew clothes. I used to sketch doll’s dresses on the back of large calendar paper. Of course I tore it on purpose for my design. Since I was very young, I thought that making clothes should be my job. Much later, I found that a fashion designer was the person who did such work. I was a girl who was very much interested in fashion, and to be a designer, I studied it as my major at university. So I had no special opportunity to be a fashion designer, I was growing up to be such a person.
3.How long have you been designing clothes?
Since I got a job from Japanese underwear company just after graduation, I’ve become a professional designer. Already 22 years have passed, from that time till now, I have been sketching and making patterns to make clothes if I have a pencil and a sheet of paper.
4.What was the inspiration behind the 2019 FW line?
I’ve told about women and beauty in every season. This season, I would like to say about the women’s courage. This year, the Korea interim government marks the 100th anniversary, (Even when imperial Japan took away our country, some Koreans set a provisional government in China.) I have been to the office building in Congqing to feel so many things and to be impressed. It reminds me of the day, March 1, 1919, when young school girls also were not afraid of the Japanese military police’s guns and swords and they took the lead and shout of Korean independence all over this country. I wanted to tell this by clothes. Praise them for their bravery, not sadly, but confidently and beautifully.
5.What is the average amount of time it takes for you to design and create a piece?
I think fashion design is accomplished when a dress is completed and some one wears it. Thus I don’t no how long it takes. But I draw dozens of sketches every day and make new clothes all the time.
6. I noticed the heavy influence of Korean and Chinese traditional dress garments in your collection and read recently on your Instagram about the Samiljeol Independence Movement Day, and although it was a difficult time in Korean history, it really paved the way for women in Korea. Can you elaborate on this more and how it ties in with your designs?
The March 1 Memorial Day is the very day that Korean people commemorate their Declaration of Independence and announcement of their independence will all over the world in order to resist against Japanese colonial military rule. In Korea we remember a young girl, “Yu Kwan Soon” with the March 1 Memorial Day. This 17-year-old school girl led the independence movement and caught by Japanese military police. The following year, she died for her country by continuous and cruel torture at the Seodaemun Prison. (At that time, Japanese military police killed about 7,000 Koreans. They were unarmed civilians and it’s a massacre. This tragic event led to Mahatma Gandhi’s nonviolence movement in India.)
When I was preparing this collection, I imagined countless Yu Kwan Soon all over the world walking out onto the stage at the finale. I think it was shown as I intented. As well as 15th century Jeanne d’Arc of France and one hundred years’ ago Yu Kwan Soon, there are so many brave young girls at present and future also. Their courage is noble and beautiful. I wanted to praise it.
As to another influence of collection detail, I’m a Korean and now working in China. The Korean Interim Government was smashed by Japanese cunning suppression but our fighters for independence moved and built again and again from Shanghai to Congqing. At that time, Chinese helped and gave shelter to the Korean fighters. I’d like to offer Chinese my deep thanks. Also, I was influenced much by the bond of sympathy with my chinese friends who live and make clothes together now.
7.Will we be able to see you at NYFW in the fall? Do you have plans for Paris Fashion Week?
I’m longing for the Fall Fashion Week in New York and Paris.
8.What are your plans for the future of Queenie Zoë?
Queenie Zoë, a Chinese brand, several shops are going to be opened in China in this autumn. Our company is the biggest one in Shenzhen, China, and there are over 3,000 workers with 1,000 shops all over the China. Queenie Zoe, a new brand having been prepared by my company, aims at world market collaborating with my design ability. But regardless of Queenie Zoe’s plan, I’ll make my clothes ceaselessly.
9. Do you have a favorite piece or pieces from your collection? If so why?
According to Korean proverb, “Every child is dear to his parents.” The original meaning of this proverb is that how many children parents have, they are all precious. Likewise, clothes of my collection is as same as my child. It reminds me of clothes putting efforts at the stage of draping, some clothes spending time at the last stage of biz decoration, or some fabric starching and ironing like Korean traditional clothing. In my memory, every pair is important to me. Because design and pattern work as well as the last sewing by hand was done by myself. One of them, the last skirt by which Korean traditional dress was expressed, I should have gathered all the remaining fabric in the factory to do patch by patch because all the fabric markets were closed for one month’s holiday, Chinese New Year.( As you know, Chinese have a peculiar culture that all the markets and factories are closed during the period of Spring Festival.) Though I was much pleased because the skirt was rather a better one, I was embarrassed so much at that time, and it’ll be an unforgettable memory for the rest of my life.
10.What is the best part about being a fashion designer?
Though the good point of being a fashion designer differs from individual to individual, I’m happy to be a fashion designer. I can speak and make others happy by clothes. I believe that I can please people and beautify this world by my making clothes. Thus I think my God gave me the ability of making clothes, and with this, I’ll live as a person doing the God’s work.
11.What is some advice you can give to others who are trying to make it in their respective industries?
In Korean language, there’s an expression, “옷을 짓다-build a dress”. ‘짓다[zit-da]’ is the same verb as ‘build’ in English. Also the meaning of this word ‘짓다’ is very important to me, because it is used as “밥을 짓다-cook rice” and“이름을 짓다-call one’s name”. It’s very interesting that a same verb ‘짓다[zit-da]’ is used in making food, clothes, shelter and name, isn’t it? All the important and basic things are finally concluded to human beings. Please don’t forget the sincerity towards people. My sincerity towards clothes is also sincerity towards people after all. I think that everyone can be happy if they have sincerity towards their own job.
12.Who were some of your fashion icons and people you looked up to in the fashion industry?
As a designer having a career over twenty years, I designed countless dresses and made over ten thousand patterns to make clothes by myself. I’m called as a ‘poetic designer’ but I’m also close to some master artisan. In the world of fashion, lots of people meet and create tremendous work. I think all of them do their best to show their ability. I respect people who do their best in their field for a long time. I respect such people as samplers, factory workers, fabric manufacturers and button makers, who have been continuing their own jobs only for a long time.
13.What are all the ways that people can find your clothing and contact you? (social media, email, etc.)
E-mail (of designer): canezoubomin@naver.com
E-mail (for business): queeniezoe@naver.com
Instagram: instagram.com/canezoubomin, instagram.com/queeniezoeofficial
Facebook: facebook.com/canezoubomin, facebook.com/queeniezoeofficial
Translated by Serena
Scroll below to see BTS images and images of the Queenie Zoë runway show!
