MFYG goes to Seoul
The secret epicentre for girlish dressing in its many manifestations
A picture of a woman wearing a hanbok strolling around Gyeongbokgung Palace, taken from a bus. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Dear readers, in the midst of the year I started to feel the itch to travel. Seoul immediately came to mind. Being there in the autumn would also provide the opportunity to wear woolly jumpers, coloured tights and jackets. Upon arriving at Incheon airport, the weather was a perfect 17 degrees. I put on my favourite black hoodie from Vietnamese brand Ngài, paired it with vintage straight leg Diesel jeans bought from an online second-hand shop, The Grey Room, and a pair of navy blue, patent sneakers from Dirk Bikkembergs; a practical outfit for shopping and starting my journey.
Racks of apparel and an island displaying pouches and bags. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Trying on a Jichoi Comfort skirt from the spring collection. Notice the adorable Jiftshop decal on the mirror. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Picture of a large size Longto toy. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Picture of Jichoi’s blue soft toy collection, guest book and book collection. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Jiftshop
Yeouido-dong 45-13, Yeongdeungpo District
My first stop was Jiftshop, the concept store and studio for independent South Korean brand Jichoi. Since its conception, it has captured the hearts of young girls all over the world with their anime and dreamy highschool centric campaigns shot with photographer Dasom Han. The brand is split into five categories. Jichoi is the mainline; Jichoi Comfort is gymwear inspired; Jichoi Schna offers the brand’s take on officewear; JX is merchandise; and Jito is a collection of character dolls from the Jichoi universe. The brand counts K-pop girl band New Jeans as loyal fans. Despite the small studio space, I spent a good hour admiring the collection of soft toys, books and anime paraphernalia.
Trying on a Sandy Liang Hoodie at Shop Amomento’s flagship store in Jongno. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Shop Amomento
1 Yulgok-ro, Jongno District
Shop Amomento is the fashion crowd’s go-to select shop, supplying both men's and womenswear. The shop boasts a stylish mix of European, American and local brands like Cecilie Bahnsen, Eckhaus Latta, Martine Rose, Sandy Liang, Renaissance Renaissance and Teak. Apart from the Yulgok-ro flagship, Shop Amomento is now at four locations across Seoul. There is one in Hannam, another in Shinsaegae department store in Gangnam and a separate archive store in Jongno. Every location stocks different brands, so a trip to each is an adventure on its own.
Shopfront of Chiyagi Store. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Chiyagi Store
72, Anam-ro 5-gil, Seongbuk District
Tucked away on the eastern side of Seoul in the quiet Seongbuk district is Chiyagi Store, a tasteful select shop for a soft kind of girlish dressing. Here you may find comfortable-looking jersey or knitted pieces reminiscent of ballerina clothing, quaint hosiery and statement silver jewellery. The shop supports many local brands such as Amabe, Cosmoss, Dohyo, Cox’s Pippin and Shalom Club, not to mention their affordable line of basics Chiyagi Humble and a small selection of second-hand designer vintage clothes.
Image of a beautiful wig on a mannequin, the first thing I spotted when walking into Low Gee. Image courtesy of MFYG.
A rack of Venice W. apparel and accessories. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Lace and knitwear dominate this corner of the store. Image courtesy of MFYG.
Low Gee
11, Dosan-daero 49-gil, Gangnam District
A newcomer to the scene, Low Gee opened in October stocking brands akin to rockstars of eccentric, post-internet girlishness. A powerhouse combination of Collina Strada, Jennyfax, Mikiosakabe and Venice W. as some of the standouts in their stockist, all known for their loyal fans on Instagram. Each of these brands represents a vision influenced by internet memes, obscure references and fashion fandoms. Low Gee is a new fashion funhouse sitting in the middle of trendy Dosan-dearo, Gangnam.
The retail space and visual merchandising of these stores did wonders to bring the fashion items to life. Living in Singapore, the scarcity of affordable retail space can restrict local designers from fully expressing their creativity. Seeing these clothes, in real life at a leisurely pace, somehow created an emotional experience that has made my trip to Seoul a worthwhile one.
Till next time!
Love, MFYG x