Interview with Errick Kim
Australian designer Errick Kim brought diverse fashion styles and paradigmatic creations to the most recent New York Fashion Week. As a designer who isn’t afraid to push beyond boundaries, for Spring/Summer 2020 he showcased two winning designs: a sporty Avant-Garde NASCAR checkered-inspired dress and a gothic velvet gown, adding spice to his latest collection, “Aphrodite’s Dream.”
According to Greek mythology, Aphrodite is the goddess of beauty, love, and eternal youth. “Aphrodite’s Dream” expresses the desire for spiritual fulfillment and feminine beauty. The collection aims to showcase beauty, not only with physical appearance, but also an individual’s inner beauty.
Errick Kim
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Photos: HitechMODA/AJ Photoz
Errick Kim interpreted “Aphrodite’s Dream” collection in real-life-Greek-mythology-magic, ideally flowed through the aesthetics of his designs. The Victorian-inspired ballgown and two-piece mermaid gown in the shades of ivory, Greek villa, and simply white depicted spiritual fulfillment. Love and romance conception in a sheer Parisian purple long gown, tiered ruffle layer mini gowns in pale lilac and Parisian purple, and spacer mesh midi-dress in sky blue. The feminine beauty was touched in a budding rose-hem lavender cocktail gown and sky blue fishtail gown. A sense of youthfulness was visualized through his sporty Avant-Garde checkered-inspired silk dresses, wherein the handwoven NASCAR checkered patterns of black and white was made of French grosgrain petersham ribbon, specifically ordered in France.
Errick Kim started designing in 2014, the same year when he completed Advanced Diploma of Applied Fashion Design and Technology at Kangan Institute in Melbourne, Australia. Errick Kim’s unconventional and creative fashion designs have brought him much acclaim. It’s no wonder he is a recipient of multiple awards at Fashion Awards Australia for five consecutive years. He won first place in Long Gown and Rags to Riches category in 2014, first place Long Gown and Race Wear categories in 2015, first place Little Black Dress category in 2016, first place Avant-Garde category in 2017, and first place in Race Wear and Australian Gown of the Year categories in 2018.
Q: Congratulations on winning multiple awards at Fashion Award Australia, what’s your recipe for success?
Never stop trying even if you fail ten times. Never stop learning from others. I appreciate other people’s work.
Q: Where do you look for creative inspiration?
My inspirations are usually from myths and legends, as well as history. Or even tales from the past. Sometimes, on the street, seeing what people are wearing, then I mix and match the ideas. These are when my creativity comes to life.
Q: We’ve seen Victorian, Avant-Garde, gothic, and feminine at NYFW Spring/Summer 2020. How did you create such incredible creations without influencing the aesthetic of the other?
When you’re passionate about creating, your ideas are just endless. With NYFW SS20, two of my winning pieces that were showcased don’t belong in the collection: one is checkered, and one is gothic. I had to create a story by adding another checkered dress and white gowns to fit in. What my “Aphrodite’s Dream” collection has in common are femininity and classic style; therefore, the aesthetic isn’t influencing the other.
Q: How do you balance your time between your roles as the creative director of your brand and as a pattern maker tutor?
Being a designer isn’t easy at all. You just have to try to balance work, design, and leisure time. It is a matter of prioritizing the task.
Q: If there’s any designer you’d like to thank? Who would the designer be, and why?
There isn’t really a specific designer that I would like to thank, but probably thank you to all the designers out there for creating beautiful pieces. We all get inspired by each other. Though I want to thank a few individuals, namely: Greg Desiatov for the creative music video production, the talented hair and makeup stylist Simone Clarke, my gorgeous models Allanah Lam, Bazelika Nyan Akujc, and Jasmyn Towers, and the amazing hairstylist during the New York Fashion Week, Vu Nguyen.
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With love,
FWO
