Remembering Andre Kim

Andre Kim, Korea's most acclaimed designer, died on Thursday, after battling cancer since 2005. Born in 1935, Kim was arguably Korea's first male designer, opening his first boutique "Salon Andre" in 1962, after graduating from Kukje design school. Furthermore, he was the first Korean designer to exhibit his collections in Paris in 1966, an amazing achievement which now inspires young, budding Korean designers. With an inclination for white suits and a touch of make-up, Kim then accomplished global recognition for his work, dressing Michael Jackson and Brooke Shields. He provided his audiences with stunning, fantasy inspired shows, presenting his collections at the pyramids in Egypt and at Angkor Wat in Cambodia.

Conscientious but extravagant, Kim was renowned for his beautiful, wedding dresses and evening wear. A French journalist even characterised him as a "Magician from Fairyland". His design aesthetic was Asiatic in detail, applying cherry blossom, lotus flowers and birds to his designs. Utilizing a bold colour palette, Kim's collections featured swathes of luxury fabric, embroidered, pleated and ruffled, adorned with sequins and jewels.

Considering fashion, Kim said, "Fashion should portray grace, intellect, artistic beauty, and youthful energy. Not too classic. I don't like 'old.' Even though I was born in 1935, I don't feel my age. I feel like a teenager who is 10 or 15 or 20 years old in a fairy tale, a fantasy, young and brilliant." And Kim certainly produced beautiful, artistic designs, that will continue to be worn with delight and gratification by women everywhere. A detailed account of Andre Kim's life can be read here http://news.asiaone.com/News/Latest%2BNews/Asia/Story/A1Story20100814-232066.html and his collections can be viewed here http://www.andrekim.co.kr/portfolio_02.php?b_id=2&s_field=1&page=4.