And it’s not just handbags that are leading K-fashion’s ascent in the Western mainstream. N.Y.C-based designer Jinsol Woois paving the way for South Korean jewelry brands with his punk-inspired jewelry line Ohtnycworn on everyone from aespa and IVE to Doja catand even ripped off by Forever 21. His brand’s celebrity clientele feeds into the U.S.’s ever-growing obsession with Korean culture, something that’s playing no small role in K-fashion’s rise. “[Korean accessory brands] are being accepted by K-pop stars, and now, they’re being presented in tandem with the culture,” he says. “Korean culture feels like it’s the new it thing.”
What’s historically held K-fashion clothing brands from thriving stateside is the country’s rigorous beauty standards; its focus on petite sizing, especially, has deterred global shoppers, myself included, from fully embracing it just yet. Accessories are the perfect middle ground for those who want to indulge in K-apparel without having to compromise, as there are fewer limitations in size and silhouettes, and, as Woo says, they can do it “without having to follow Korean beauty standards.”
This is good news for me — I struggle to squeeze into a Korean XL, if that’s even available. Now, I tend to my garden of Korean accessories. Stand Oil’s chocolate-y bowling bag makes a recurring cameo in my handbag rotation, and OHTNYC’s Sentinel Utility necklace served me well during my friend’s witch coven-themed birthday party, and hopefully soon, for NYFW, no tailoring needed.
