Korean designer Kang Dong Jun presented his Autumn Winter 2018 collection for D.GNAK during the ongoing London Fashion Week Men’s. Inspired by the Chinese phrase that can be translated as a spring / empty dream, the collection is a meditative exploration on dressing, urban life, and identity in the modern world.
AUTUMN WINTER 2018 RUNWAYS
Translated as ‘a spring dream’, or ‘an empty dream’, the saying echoes through centuries of Chinese poetry. In its essence, it speaks to a sense of transience and impermanence, to faded fantasies, and humanity’s tendency to dwell in the past, to be occupied by memories of moments which can never truly be recaptured. But enough about the past. How might this notion inform or guide how we plan to live today? “Wealth, honour, attempts for a glamorous life, all disappear like a spring dream,” says designer Kang.D. In other words, while you may spend your life striving for money or status, all is temporary – you can’t take these things with you. A fitting reminder in an era of instant celebrity, follower counts and fast fashion, his words strike true to the heart of D.GNAK; at its core, it is a meditative exploration on dressing, urban life, and identity in the modern world. A collision of elevated streetwear, traditional Korean silhouettes and Western tailoring, the Autumn Winter 18 collection sees Kang.D work mostly in dark velvets and rich, tactile wools, also introducing jacquards. D.GNAK is known for its intelligent monochromes – articulating concepts without colour. Only black and white fabrics can be found in the Autumn Winter 18 collection, resulting in a shadowplay of light and dark, opposing forces and natures. Embroideries are present once more, expressing the unique identity and artisan mentality of the brand. Alongside memento mori motifs like the skull and crossbones, The word ‘REPENTANCE’ appears on garments throughout the collection – encouraging us to seek forgiveness for our vanities and address our actions anew. – from D.GNAK
Discover more of the collection after the jump:
