JAEHA Takes Audiences Into Nature For AW17

Korean-born New Zealander Jae Kim, is the creative mind behind hot new label JAEHA. Having cut his stripes at Central Saint Martins under the tutelage of the legendary Louise Wilson, Jae Kim then moved onto work at Mary Katrantzou before deciding to launch his own label in 2014.

Created for the modern woman and inspired by the Thierry Mugler and Claude Montana women of the 1980s, the freshness of the collection comes from the subtle detail – the curve of an exaggerated shoulder, piping on a wool jacket, the nip of a waist or a fluted plaid hem. Fabrics are similarly contrasted, with Moroccan silk, pig-skin, herringbone and cupro woven into a holistic vision.

The result is an elegant awkwardness, one that invites women to embrace new silhouettes without asking them to embrace the absurd. For the brand’s AW17 lookbook the designer juxtaposed decadent hues of red and pastel coloured plaids with unexpected natural compositions, accentuating the idea of organic shapes uncomfortably rendered. In many ways, the aesthetic is one reminiscent of J.W.Anderson, who similarly plays with the tension between elegance and experimental form. The similarity is one that bodes well for JAEHA; watch this space.

Discover JAEHA’s AW17 collection below, and shop online here.

About the author

India Doyle

A contributor to titles including Vogue, the Guardian, KEIN, Rollacoaster, Wonderland and Twin magazine, India Doyle joined Culture Trip to help launch their fashion section for the EMEA region, where she focussed on giving emerging designers across the globe a platform to reach international audiences. Now based between London and Greece, she is one of Culture Trip's Greek contributors and covers cultural life in Athens.