| January 18, 2022 | Events, Studios - All,
Korean-American designer Andrew Kwon will showcase his newest collection on January 20 through January 22, 2022, at Nieman Marcus in Dallas. The 11-piece capsule, “Collection 2: dreamer,” was influenced by Kwon’s time in southern France last summer. From Monaco’s lush green rolling hills to the vivid sunsets of Provence and the pristine blue waters of Marseille, Kwon walked away from the experience inspired to create Collection 2 infused with color. While this second collection is primarily bridal, it’s also Kwon’s break into eveningwear.
“I listen to music, and music is one of the biggest inspirations of getting myself into that mood and right headspace for me to be creative,” Kwon tells EDITION. He cites Andrea Bocelli, Loren Allred, Katherine Jenkins, and the soundtrack of the Queen’s Gambit as some of the latest musical muses included in his designing process. In addition, Kwon counts his mother, former K-pop star and entrepreneur Jessica Jung, and his friend and fashion influencer Olivia Palermo as the incredible women who keep him inspired. Kwon adds, “One of my really dear friends, Olivia Palermo, has always been an inspiration, especially for this collection as well. It’s such an epitome of just what modern elegance is to me.”
Kwon graduated from Parsons School of Design in 2019. Then, the pandemic hit the following year, moving Kwon to tap into the bridal design world. He debuted “Collection 1: reminiscence” in April 2021, then unveiled his second collection in October 2021, which will be shown at the trunk show this week. “I grew up in Colorado, Pennsylvania, and California in the suburbs. There were never really red-carpet events, and that was something that I always aspired to do,” Kwon states. “I think a lot of the women that were super close with me growing up their red carpet really is their walk down the aisle. That’s what I connected, and I felt it was really true to me, which is why I launched that collection.” Kwon’s bespoke collections exude an ethereal fairy tale vibe with plenty of delicate lace, strategically placed embellishments, and lavish tulle. The designs possess a flirtatious allure that’s understated sexy.
This year, Kwon is focused on promoting his name and elegant collections. “I just want women to really be excited about something. Coming out of the pandemic, there were a lot of hardships for so many people out there,” Kwon says. “But I think building and creating collections that I do gives something even for a moment to just look at and feel better about and heal or whatever they feel from seeing the collection.” Kwon also wants to encourage fellow Asian designers to follow their dreams by seeing his example. He adds, “I think just as an Asian-American, I really want to be a voice for me and others and show that dreams can really become a reality.”
This year, Kwon will host trunk shows across the country, kicking off in Dallas this week, before heading to Atlanta and Los Angeles in the spring. Click here for details.
Photography by: Haifa Olsen; Matt Borowick