Seoul Fashion Week goes back, to the future with palace and tech

Models walk the runway during the finale of Doucan’s 2026 Spring/Summer show at Seoul Fashion Week, held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Sept. 6. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
Collaboration and change were at the heart of Seoul Fashion Week’s 2026 Spring/Summer edition, which marked the event's 25th anniversary.
 
From staging its official runway show at the historic Deoksu Palace in central Seoul to partnering with Fashion Council Germany to bring international brands to the city, Seoul Fashion Week concluded on Sunday after a week of events that aimed to push the decades-old fashion celebration into new territory.
 

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That sense of transformation wasn't confined to the official runways and showrooms, but was also visible at Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP), where fashion lovers and photographers turned the area into a stage of its own.
 

Photographers capture a stylish attendee at Seoul Fashion Week 2026 Spring/Summer, held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Sept. 6. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
On a breezy yet humid Friday, DDP in Jung District — a landmark that has long embodied the city’s futuristic image and the main stage for Fashion Week over the past decade — was bustling with fashion enthusiasts. Many flaunted their personal style in bold outfits, while camera flashes lit up the plaza as photographers rushed to capture the scene.
 
Outside DDP, events marking the 25th anniversary included a photo booth, a fragrance-themed MBTI test hosted by household goods company Pigeon, a styling program organized by the Seoul Jewelry Support Center and tastings from coffee brand G7.
 

A model walks the runway during New Wave Boys’ 2026 Spring/Summer show at Seoul Fashion Week, held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Sept. 4. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
Inside, 74 brands set up showrooms for buyers, while 14 staged runway shows to debut their latest collections. The Seoul Metropolitan Government, which organizes the biannual event, invited more than 100 buyers from 22 countries. This year’s participants included France’s luxury department store Printemps and Singapore’s multibrand retailer Club 21.
 
The fair has been steadily expanding its international reach. In the 2025 Fall/Winter edition earlier this year, it logged a record $6.71 million in buyer consultations, up from $5.63 million for the 2024 Fall/Winter season.
 

Attendees of Seoul Fashion Week 2026 Spring/Summer take part in an event at the booth of household goods brand Pigeon at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Sept. 6. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Berlin meets Seoul
 
Among Seoul Fashion Week’s global initiatives, the collaboration with Fashion Council Germany stood out, broadening the event's network and introducing a wider range of international brands alongside local designers.
 
For the first time, the German organization brought 12 brands to Seoul, showcasing their collections at the MCM showroom in Gangnam District.
 

Attendees queue to watch a fashion show at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, during Seoul Fashion Week 2026 Spring/Summer on Sept. 4. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
Speaking with the Korea JoongAng Daily, Christiane Arp, chairwoman of Fashion Council Germany, and Scott Lipinski, its chief executive, reflected on their first experience at the Seoul event.
 
"When you come from fashion, you easily and right away recognize that there is such an appreciation of fashion and of celebrating fashion, and that is great to witness,” said Arp, who served as editor-in-chief of Vogue Germany for 18 years.
 
“It’s really great to see this enthusiasm we feel here in the city when it comes to fashion and fashion week.”
 
Founded in 2015, Fashion Council Germany supports young designers, promotes sustainability and has overseen Berlin Fashion Week since 2023.
 

A buyer examines BonBom’s new Spring/Summer collection during a presentation at Seoul Fashion Week, held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Sept. 4. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
The council brought a delegation to Seoul to help connect emerging German designers with the global fashion industry. Praising the professionalism of Korea’s cultural sector, Arp said she was struck by the openness to new talent she observed at stores and among buyers.
 
“I think what is really great to see is that there is not only from the store owner or buyer’s side but also from the customer’s side such an openness for new emerging talent,” she said.
 
The 12 participating German brands included Sia Arnika, Richert Beil and Isabella Rudzki.
 
Lipinski emphasized that he expects the partnership to continue.
 
“This is not a one-time stop that we’re doing, and we have been in discussions with Seoul Fashion Week. We also expressed the invitation for Korean brands to join Berlin Fashion Week in this possible exchange,” he said.
 
“Right now, we’re trying to find a very organic way of how we can work together, because I do believe that the German market, which is also a similarly large market like the Korean market, could be very interesting for emerging talent from Korea.”
 

A model wearing a wearable robot walks the runway during Hannah Shin’s 2026 Spring/Summer show at Seoul Fashion Week, held at Dongdaemun Design Plaza in Jung District, central Seoul, on Sept. 5. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
Collaboration with technology was another defining theme of this season’s Seoul Fashion Week. On Friday, designer Hannah Shin staged a “tech couture art show” that fused technology and fashion, featuring wearable robots and garments created with 3-D printing.
 
Reflecting on the role of technology in the shows, Arp said it offered "a different approach" to fashion from which she could learn.




From palace to temple

Models walk along the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul during Andersson Bell’s show, which opened the 2026 Spring/Summer Seoul Fashion Week on Sept. 1. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
Seoul Fashion Week also expanded beyond its traditional venues.
 
Its official runway was held outside DDP for the first time, along the stone wall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul, where the brand Andersson Bell staged its show. City officials said the choice of venue was intended to highlight the “colorful charms” of the capital for visitors.
 
"It was striking to see modern fashion blend into such a traditional atmosphere," said one attendee of the show last Monday.
 

A model walks at Heungcheon Temple in Seongbuk District, central Seoul, on Sept. 3, showcasing Big Park’s Spring/Summer collection in an off-schedule show during Seoul Fashion Week. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

 
Other historic and cultural sites also hosted events, including the Oil Tank Culture Park in western Seoul and Heungcheon Temple in central Seoul, where menswear brand Sling Stone staged its show and contemporary label Big Park presented its collection, respectively.
 
Showroom tours were organized in fashion hubs such as Seongsu, Hannam and Gangnam, where buyers held consultations with local brands.
 
Lipinski, who attended the Andersson Bell show, said the setting made a strong impression.
 
“I quite enjoyed it being at a historic landmark,” he said. “When do I have the chance during a hectic schedule to really appreciate something like that?”

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]