You’ve had a very impressive career! How did you first become interested in fashion design? 

I grew up around fashion because my mother was a designer, so I was surrounded by fabrics and clothes all the time. I also loved to play with dolls and make clothes for them. At school, all the girls would ask me how I did it!  

How did you end up in the USA and then Amsterdam?  

We decided as a family to move from Korea to the USA after my father retired. We settled in Virginia, but soon after I went to NYC. I already had a bachelor’s degree from a Korean university, but in New York I went to FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology) because I wanted to transition into understanding the different market and culture. 

In my first drawing class my professor asked what I was doing there. He was so impressed by my sketches that he suggested that I go straight to work! I started as a freelancer and later went to work at brands like GAP, Ralph Lauren, Abercrombie and Tommy Hilfiger. It was a lot of Americana red, white and blue, so when I eventually came to KARL LAGERFELD, I was very happy to get into a black and white palette. It really changed the direction of my career. 

What has surprised you about working for the KARL LAGERFELD brand?

Karl built his namesake brand around his own world. The more I work on the brand, the more I see different sides of who Karl was. When I look in the archives, there’s actually lots of color, jewelry, prints, and things that surprise me. It's like a treasure island. 

When was the first time you met Karl? Tell us about it! 

I started working for the brand in Amsterdam, and one day I got the message that Karl wanted to meet me in Paris. I was so nervous I could feel the sweat running down my spine! But when he started talking, he was very warm and open. He asked about me and where I come from. We knew his public demeanor to seem cold and unapproachable, but he was different in real life. He broke the ice and wanted to make me feel comfortable. 

It sounds like a special moment... 

Oh yes — it was nerve-racking at the beginning, but when I left the room, I was so happy. How many people can say that they sat next to Karl and received input directly from him! It was the most memorable moment for me in my career.   

You then spent many years working closely with him. What’s the best lesson you learned from Karl? 

Be confident. I’ve worked in this industry for a long time, and I think that often people get frustrated because they don’t know what they want. Karl was very clear. He never had a doubt. Everyone was happy to be working with him, because he could express himself very well and was very confident. 

When working on a new collection, where do you find inspiration? 

We are surrounded by so many influences — places, people on the street, movies, archives. I like to look at Karl’s archives and what he created from real life, not just an imagination. I also ask his original team members about things he liked — his favorite music, artists, and even the Argentinian tango! I tell my team: don’t walk around looking down at your phone. Look around and take in the people, the architectures, stores and culture. Inspiration is everywhere. 

Digital innovation is a big focus for the brand. How do you merge technology and tradition in design? 

We are very interested in what technology can bring to our collections. Currently, we’re training designers on CLO, a three-dimensional digital fashion software that creates ultra-realistic digital renderings of a garment. They are so clear that we are able to use them for selling, instead of creating sample prototypes. This is more sustainable and reduces the need for shipping samples and using excess fabric. We don’t want to chase technology, but we want to control it ourselves.  

What’s your favorite thing about working at KARL LAGERFELD? 

The people. Our design team is from all over the world. We constantly learn about new cultures and share different experiences. We also get together outside of work to share meals together. That makes it really like a family and lets us understand each other. Working isn’t only for profit — it’s also for the connections you build. 

Outside of fashion design, what are your hobbies?

I love to cook! When I left Korea, I started absorbing many cultures into my kitchen. It's a fusion and it’s a form of evolution, since you have to substitute ingredients depending on where you are. If you look at food, it’s also pretty. And when we go to good restaurants we dress up, so fashion and food do really go well together! 

You’ve lived all over the world. What’s your favorite city and why? 

New York is amazing. I was living there from the early ‘90s to 2010 and never thought I would leave, but one day I packed my bags and moved to Amsterdam! I’ve been here for 10 years now and have a huge love for the city — it’s where I feel most at home.  

How do you describe your own personal style? 

I am a chameleon! Karl was iconic with his black suit, white ponytail, sunglasses and perfect white shirt. I like more to be comfortable and blend in — most days you’ll find me in jeans and a sweatshirt. It's nice to be dressed up for special occasions, but not every day.  

What’s your most iconic “fashion” moment?

Meeting with Anna Wintour at Karl’s studio, 7L, was my second most memorable moment, after meeting Karl in person. It was at the announcement that Karl would be the theme of the 2023 Met Exhibition and Gala. All of fashion’s most important people were gathered together in one room, and that all happened because of Karl. 

Tell us your most memorable moment of the 2023 Met Gala? 

It’s hard to choose just one. At the KARL LAGERFELD table we were joined by inspiring, diverse talents who all reflect our house codes in a unique way. I was proud to see everyone dressed so beautifully in gowns and suits created by our Design Director, Hun Kim. 

What did it mean to you that Karl was the theme of the Met Gala and Exhibition?  

It’s a reflection of our monumental responsibility as the sole custodians of Karl’s legacy, and how much it means to all of us to take this legacy into the future. It was inspiring to see how effortlessly the individual parts of Karl’s work came together — over decades and across houses — into one bigger, fluid and homogeneous picture.  

Tell us something we don’t know about you!

I'm an open book. Maybe too open! I think everyone knows me pretty well!