Korea's first male fashion designer - Andre Kim

Kim Bong-nam, more widely known as Andre Kim, was born to rural farmers in Goyang, Gyeonggi-do, in 1935. Graduating from the Kukje Fashion Design Academy, Kim opened "Salon Andre" in central Seoul in 1962 at the age of 27, becoming Korea' first male fashion designer.

In 1966 he held a fashion show in Paris, a first for a Korean fashion designer. Later he had fashion shows in New York, Washington, Barcelona, Cairo, Sydney and Beijing.

He was named as the chief designer for the 1981 Miss Universe Beauty Pageant and in 1988 he designed the uniforms of the Korean athletes for the Seoul Olympic Games.

In 1997 he was presented with the Presidential Culture and Art Medal for his contribution to the fashion industry. In 2003 he was awarded Italy's Cultural Merit Award and was elected as UNICEF's goodwill ambassador.

In November 2006, Kim showcased his costumes representing the beauty of Korea at Angkor Wat, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, in Cambodia. The show titled "Fashion Fantasia: Angkor Watt" is the first of its kind ever held with the ancient temple as a backdrop.

His distinctive designs are represented by the bold, rich colors and motifs of Asian patterns including large roses, birds and tree branches.

For the 73-year-old fashion designer, who still holds almost 20 fashion shows a year, a fashion show is not just about introducing new collections, it is an artistic performance showing off fashion and sophistication. His choice of classics as background music makes for an elegant and dramatic mood and white-toned settings bring out the unusual colors of his designs.

The highlight of his fashion shows is the final stage, featuring white suits and wedding dresses romantically embellished with Kim's symbolic designs. The wedding dress show is particularly renowned for showcasing famous Korean celebrities.

Walking down the catwalk wearing in the designer's clothes is widely considered a great honor for a Korean celebrity and for young actors the stage is a huge opportunity to be recognized to the public.

Based on connections with top celebrities, Kim holds an award ceremony called "Andre Kim Best Star Awards," to honor pop stars or cultural figures who are considered to contribute to the cultural development of Korea. With many top profile celebrities attending the ceremony, the media in and out of the country pay a keen attention to the star-studded shows.

Kim always wears all-white outfits, which is said to be his favorite color. Once American pop star Michael Jackson asked him to be his personal designer but he declined the proposal, saying "his clothes were for everyone."

Since 2001, the designer has ventured into the fashion license business, lending his name to such varied products as a lingerie line, eye wear, golf wear, cosmetics and children's wear.






By Lee Ji-yoon