- Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) venue confirmed for Seoul Fashion Week 2022 (March 15-19). Events to livestream on YouTube

 - K-pop’s newest darling girl group and fashion-icon NewJeans revealed as global ambassador for Seoul Fashion Week

 - Runway design overhaul, first in 22 years, and show order put to lottery for fairness and transparency

 - Seoul Fashion Week (SFW) tradeshow is the largest of its kind in Korea’s dynamic fashion industry, participated by 130+ buyers from 27 countries

 - SFW seeks to bolster sales in Europe via the Paris Fashion Week in March, invites non-industry individuals to all fashion shows

 - SFW aims to drive fashion industry growth and springboard Korean designers abroad

□ The Seoul Metropolitan Government (SMG) announced the 2023 Fall Winter Seoul Fashion Week (2023 F/W SFW) details, slated as a 5-day event from March 15 (Wed) to 19 (Sun) 

□ 2023 SFW fashion shows will be 100% on-site and livestreamed on SFW’s official YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/@SFW_official) for general public viewership

□ 2023 SFW ambassador is NewJeans, the fast-rising K-pop that soared into the U.S. Billboard’s Hot 100 six months after its debut and currently has two platinum albums. NewJeans’ promo video for SFW will premiere on the SFW YouTube (@SFW_official) channel on Saturday, February 25.

  ○ Seoul City officials designated NewJeans, fashion icons and “the next biggest thing in K-Pop” as global ambassadors to SFW. Less than year since debut, NewJeans was formally appointed as the honorary ambassador for the Seoul City on February 16, making SFW the group’s first official post. NewJeans will continue throughout 2023 to help promote SFW globally. 

  ○ NewJeans’ promo video for SFW showcases a mix-and-match of participating brands (UL:KIN, BLR BLUER, AJOBYAJO) and promotes the works of designers participating in SFW to global viewership. UL:KIN, BLR BLUER, and AJOBYAJO represent uniquely Korean fashion designers and brands that have powerful appeal to the Gen Y and Gen Z demographic. 

□ The 2023 F/W Seoul Fashion Week will feature three main events. ① 30 fashion shows for designer-brands ② trade show participated by 130+ buyers from 27 countries, largest of its kind in Korea ③ citizen participation programs featuring fashion meshed with innovative tech. 

□ ① 30 quintessential Korean designers of the year present their F/W season collection at the show, with significant changes to stage design and an introduction of the show order lottery system. 

□ The stage is now a circular walkway (previously pier-form) for improved audience experience. This is fresh stage design change is unprecedented in the SFW’s 23-year history. The new design allows for shows with greater clarity and maximum exposure of visual beauty, with participating brands given a variety of unique runways.

  ○ The stadium runway in Art Hall 1 now has a radial structure that is intuitively immersive, drawing in viewers into the show. The runway in Art Hall 2 now features a versatile LED backwall. 

□ All Seoul Collection fashion shows, except the opening stage, will be ordered by lottery drawn by designers, addressing concerns of fairness. The opening stage will be performed by UL:KIN designer Lee Seong Dong, who was awarded top score by the brand-selection panel. 

□ Support has been bolstered for designer excellence, to advance and develop SFW. “Top 5 shows we want to revisit” will be selected by Korean and international buyers, and selected brands will receive favorable consideration next season. 

  ○ "Top 5 Brands" is a new review system to be tried out this year, selecting 5 brands across Seoul Collection (established brands) and Generation Next (emerging brands) for international buyer preference. The 5 brands will be provided considerations such as next season free participation, show order preference, and partial support for fashion show expenses.

□ ② The largest fashion industry trade show in Korea is set to open concurrently at DDP Design Lab D(D)-Forest. This season, more than 130 buyers from 27 countries around the world are set to participate, including department stores and select shops (big buyers) expected to maximize B2B exports. 

 ○ The trade show will feature 70+ established designer brands (SC-Seoul Collection), emerging designers (GN-Generation Next), and stakeholders (TS-Trade Show) influential and significant to the Korean fashion landscape. The show floor and booths will provide Korean and international buyers, distributors, and investment companies to engage directly and inject new vitality into the domestic fashion industry with the boost over the pandemic slump.

□ Tranoï, the official Paris Fashion Week trade show will dedicate a pavilion to Seoul Fashion Week, with six womenswear designers representing Seoul. This year plans for additional SFW pavilions in New York and Tokyo during respective fashion weeks have been under development as part of broader initiative to support Korean designers’ entry into the global fashion industry.

 ○ SMG signed a partnership last spring with Tranoï, the official tradeshow concurrent to Paris Fashion Week. This has launched the event launched an SFW pavilion at Paris’ Tranoï trade show, aimed to support European sales engagement.

 ○ Tranoï, the Parisian trade show is set for March 2 (Thu) to March 5 (Fri) at the Palais Brongniart in Paris. 

□ ③ Show venue DDP’s Eoullim Plaza will be the ground for a “K-Fashion Spirit” public area for hands-on experience and fun, including a live studio for fashion influencers as well as a photo-zone where citizens can vicariously experience the catwalk via AI technology.

 ○ Individual brand booths related to fashion and beauty will also be on the grounds to provide SFW visitors a fun and unforgettable experience about fashion. 

□ SMG aims to lower the entry barrier to SFW events and broaden touchpoints with non-industry citizens, holding a SFW Fashion Show Invitation Event from February 23 (Thu) to March 6 (Mon). SFW guests can apply to reserve shows to visit in-person on the Seoul Fashion Week website (www.seoulfashionweek.org) during reservation periods, and the raffled show invitations will be sent to the winners starting March 7 (Tue). 

 ○ A detailed schedule of the 2023 F/W SFW is available on the official website of Seoul Fashion Week (http://www.seoulfashionweek.org), Kakao Channel (Seoul Fashion Week 2023), and Instagram (@seoulfashionweek_official).

□ Kim Tae-kyun, Director of Economic Policy Office at SMG, was quoted "The competitiveness of SMEs in fashion manufacturing continue to face challenges and polarization as we pass the “pandemic-corridor.” He added, “We will develop SFW as a springboard for overseas opportunities for our capable fashion designers and a growth-engine for Korean fashion competitiveness. We want to see more big-buyers, nurture even more talented designers, and engage more citizens to improve the foundations of our fashion industry.”