Fashion Corner: The “Multi-Shop”

23Jul08

Seoulplay is pleased to launch a new feature to our blog. Fashion Corner will be featuring Numero Korea’s top editor Choong Hwan Oh to give our readers the inside scoop into Korean fashion and shopping trends.

Choong Hwan has worked as one of the top fashion editors in Korea since 2005, beginning at Esquire before transferring to Numero in early 2008. He will be a key player in the Korean fashion industry in years to come, playing a significant role in the launch of Numero Homme in 2009.

In our first edition of Fashion Corner, seoulplay sat down with Choong Hwan to discuss the trend of the “multi-shop” in Seoul and find out the hottest ones in Seoul.

Cities like New York and Tokyo are known to host large designer flagship stores and be the launching ground for small designer boutiques. Seoul, while having a few large free standing designer stores such as Gucci and Louis Vuitton, instead concentrates designer goodies into smaller stores known as the multi-shop. New York has a few, namely Jeffrey and Seven, while L.A. has Maxfield. Barneys, is a somewhat cross-breed between the multi-shop and the department store. Smaller than a department store, with a more concentrated and styled inventory, the multi-shop is a one stop shopping experience for those looking to find everything from new and unknown designers to avant-garde pieces to the hottest item from top designers such as Balenciaga or Balmain.

When asked why multi-shops have gained popularity as the go-to place for designer items in Seoul, Choonghwan states, “Seoul, being a very urban, busy city finds that their citizens have equally busy lives. Seoulites are into fashion, trends and style and want to experience the trends but often don’t have time to shop around and find the hot pieces. Multi-shops feature the most unique or the hottest items from different designers and people can go there to find THE IT item, fairly easily.” Choong Hwan continued, “Most multi-shop buyers focus their inventory on a different theme such as Paris designers, Milan designers, etc. and the consumer can easily find the style they want or the designer they want based on the multi-shop they go to”.

Choong Hwan’s recommendations for the top 5 multi-shops in Seoul:

1. Mue Tel: 02-3446-8074, Kangnam Gu, Chungdam Dong 93-6

Located in Chungdam Dong, up the hill from Butterfinger Pancakes towards Chungdam Intersection, Mue’s selection focuses on mens/womens collections from such as Balenciaga, Lanvin, Ann Demeulemeester, and Raf Simons

2. Ecru 02-545-7780, Apkujung Dong; take the side street across from California Fitness Club towards the Rock N’ Roll Bar, take a left at the street in front of the mini stop and walk straight for 100 meters. Located on the 1st floor of the Cube Styling Building

Lessser know than Mui or Koon, Ecru is a small shop that has very style and hand selected items that makes shopping a no-brainer. Noted brands include Martin Margiela and Cosmic Wonder

3. Tom Greyhound Located next to Dosan Park in Ann Demulemeester flagship store basement

Featuring mens and womens fashions and accessories, Tom Greyhound features lesser known designers from Japan and new International Designers like Dal, etc.

4. Daily Projects Located at HakDong Intersection in Apkjung/Chungdam area across from Outback Steakhouse

A new concept to come to Korea, Daily Projects combines a multi-shop, coffee shop, reading space, hair salon, and art gallery to make for an interesting retail experience. Although the open spaces offer a great place to study or meet with friends, the multi-shop should not be missed. Daily Projects features Korean designers both well known such as Suh Sang Young and up and coming brands that come with affordable price tags and one of a kind designs.

5. Koon 02-546-4503, Located in Chungdam behind Boon the Shop. At the intersection in front of Boon the Shop and cafe Goshen, take a left and walk about 50 m. At the first alley way, take a right (in front of Queens Park and next to Anna Binis) and walk up the hill. It will be on your right after you cross the second street.

Koon recently purchased a former cafe next in order to expand their space to include most European brands from both the Paris and Milan collections. Especially to be noted is the increasing collection of the hot brand Balmain (both mens and womens) and their extensive collection of YSL Homme.

Filed under: Fashion, Lifestyle, Shopping, Uncategorized   |  1 Comment
Tags: Ann Demulemeester, Apkujung, Balmain, Chungdam, Daily Projects, Fashion, Lifestyle, mui, Multi-shop, Numero, Raf Simons, seoul, Shopping, YSL Homme