Hyeonjeong Woo

Could you please tell us more about your art and design background? What made you become an artist/designer? Have you always wanted to be a designer?

I used to think I was an artist when I was a child. Still, I haven't considered pursuing it in a long time because I knew my parents didn't want me to be one because of the social prejudices about artists/designers, such as their inability to make money and so on. I grew up in a pretty conservative Asian home, and my ambition was to be independent of my parents and do anything I wanted. I flew to Australia after high school for "soul searching." There was a beautiful art school right in front of my flat that I passed by every day. On the balcony late at night, I made the unexpected decision to become a fashion designer myself, which led to who I am today.

Can you tell us more about your company / design studio?

My design studio is just me; I'm so indecisive that I have yet to name my studio officially. I work as a fashion designerspecializing in high-endstreetwear. I work with a few brands and provide design services as well as design consultation while creating my own concepts for my portfolio and eventual brand launch. I enjoy working with colors, prints, and patterns, thus my designs feature one-of-a-kind prints on fabrics with a range of textures.

What is "design" for you?

"Design" solves the problem. Art should be left alone, but designs have to be functional since that is the rule, and I believe the rule should be followed. Good designs resolve issues creatively while visually engaging and impressing viewers. It should make sense, and without any explanation, the design should speak for itself, which I find is the most appealing feature of it.

What kinds of works do you like designing most?

s a fashion designer, I enjoy dealing with fabrics. I normally paint or draw first, then print them on fabric to create the most unique pieces. I also love collages with fabrics and various threads; many such colors and textures stacked and sewn together thrill me the most, and I could juststare at them all day. And when I do this, the fabrics tell their story for me, and I love to see my audiences and wearers stop and try to read all of the design details.

What is your most favorite design, could you please tell more about it?

My favorite would be the main piece from my thesis collection in 2019. The collection is called "Self-Portrait" because I threw all of my long-buried stories into it. I built an oversized yellow trench coat out of cotton twill and printed my prescribed medicine instructions, which were Wellbutrin XL by the way, on the fabric. The instruction paper was yellow. Therefore, the coat is yellow. This medication paper describes one of my most difficult times in life, so I was frightened when I released it, but I had a lot of love and appreciation, so I don't regret it; I ultimately learned from it that if you let it out, you're free.

What was the first thing you designed for a company?

6. It was a luxury brand of streetwear for children. The design director loved my senior portfolio and expressed her respect for my work, which led me to create children's clothing, particularly for boys. I hadn't even considered the kids wear for my career, but I couldn't help myself and I jumped in. I was an intern, but I was able to contribute to the majority of the design process by creating artwork for prints and patterns, which I thoroughly enjoyed. That collection was slated to debut at NYFW in 2020, however,the show had to be canceled because of the pandemic. It was heartbreaking because those were my first babies on the market, but I learned a lot and enjoyed the experience there.

What is your favorite material / platform / technology?

These days, I'm trying to find any reusable materials, deadstock, or second-hand. I've felt guilty working in the fashion industry because fashion is one of the most polluting industries in the world. Many people in manner or technologies are creating incredible materials that could replace polyesters or leathers, by developing eco friendly and biodegradables such as pineapple leathers or apple skin leathers, or mushroom leathers and I would love to see such things more and one day would worki with them.

When do you feel the most creative?

I get inspired by everything that surrounds me, especially when I'm traveling as a stranger in the city. However, when I work and am actually in the process of creation, there's a specific phrase that I'm very focused on I feel the most creative. It could be when I'm sewing or drawing or draping; it doesn't matter; when the music matches my vibe and when I just really enjoy the process itself, it feels fantastic; it's like the world stops for me.

Which aspects of a design do you focus more during designing?

I always try to stay true to the concept and tell stories through my designs. I don't worry if that will limit my creativity because I think the most creative things come out when I stay in the lines I drew. That doesn't mean I don't try different things; I go free when I experiment, and sometimes happy accidents work like serendipities. But I always ensure it still holds the messages to speak for me.

What kind of emotions do you feel when you design?

I feel everything. The working process works like meditations or prayers. Sometimes I'm happy doing it, or I get super anxious and stressed. When I'm focused, I don't even know the emotions are there, but one thing that stays is that the designing process heals me. I think about everything in life, from my childhood traumas the society, communities, and issues. Even if I don't get clear answers about them, it still cures me, and it helps me go through many things in life.

What kind of emotions do you feel when your designs are realized?

Everything. I don't get 100% satisfied or happy about my work when they're realized because I always see the parts that could be improved. But I think all designers would feel the same about their works.

What makes a design successful?

Designs should make sense. I think it has to be relatable to audiences, and it has to be functional. I think that's the most important. I also believe successful designs have to be visually pleasing, and there's a saying that good design is the design that is no longer left out, and I agree.

When judging a design as good or bad, which aspects do you consider first?

I try to feel the visuals first before I learn about the work. And then I see how the visual results, how this work penetrates people's minds because that's how the design speaks. But most importantly, every aspect and detail of the invention should make sense and its purpose.

From your point of view, what are the responsibilities of a designer for society and environment?

Designers and artists speak through their works. They use designs to reveal their mind and thoughts, but designers should always consider whether their jobs or material choices affect the environment, and they should think if their works are polluting. Sometimes the work of arts or designs speak stronger than anything, they should always think about how their work would affect the societies and people's mind. My goal is to make works that doensn't hurt anything or anybody but are comforting and voicing for someone who can't be heard.

How do you think the "design field" is evolving? What is the future of design?

Designs are becoming more approachable, and I love it. These days, anyone can design and create anything, even if they're not from a design background or graduated from art school. More approachable means that the market is getting bigger, and anyways, it will create more work and opportunities, and appreciation. The future of designs would be the designs that help save the environment.

When was your last exhibition and where was it? And when do you want to hold your next exhibition?

My last exhibition was last month. It was June 2022 in Busan, South Korea. My graduate collection was awarded from IBDA International Busan Design Award in the Fashion Design category, and my works were exhibited in Busan Desing Week for a week. The next one would be in Australia in December 2022.

Where does the design inspiration for your works come from? How do you feed your creativity? What are your sources of inspirations?

I get sources from me. I talk about my personal experiences, traumas, and childhood through my works. Interestingly, my problems are deeply connected with social issues, and naturally, that makes me talk about the things that affect people's life. I talk about mental health, gender equality, and such things. These sounds political, which I don't mind, but I did experience such items, and there are so many people who shared the same as me and can't even talk about it.

How would you describe your design style? What made you explore more this style and what are the main characteristics of your style? What's your approach to design?

I would say I follow the usual fashion design process. I love working with all different kinds of fabrics and trims because those are very fun for me. I love using many colors and textures, and that naturally led me to focus on high-end streetwear because my works are still very personal and delicate, with a lot of street-inspired details.

Where do you live? Do you feel the cultural heritage of your country affects your designs? What are the pros and cons during designing as a result of living in your country?

I currently live in South Korea, but I learned fashion in the United States. My cultural heritage wouldn't affect my designs so far, but I would love to use motifs and inspirations from traditional Korean architecture. At the same time, I was heavily influenced by hip-hop cultures living in Atlanta, Georgia. So mixing up these two would create something exciting. I wouldn't want to pick up the pros and cons of designing living in Korea because I get inspired by traveling, and my whole life, I've been a traveler. Living in Korea wouldn't affect my design process.

How do you work with companies?

I am working with companies like going to school. I get the project with deadlines and rules and disciplines, and I have to create the most out of those rules. I could be stressed when the companies don't appreciate the designs or designers much, but any work helps me grow, so I'm always ready to work with companies.

What are your suggestions to companies for working with a designer? How can companies select a good designer?

I think companies already have their own rules and standards for selecting designers. They will find designers that match their aesthetics and skillsets. Companies usually want to go safe because that's easy. Still, it could bring excellent results if they get out of the boxes and find someone with different experiences compared to the designers that they would usually hire.

Can you talk a little about your design process?

My design process isn't that special. I usually work alone, I find inspiration, or it just comes to me. Before I do anything, I think about it for a long time and start skating. And I find materials, or I start with materials and drape or collage all these ideas, and I explore. The design process is narrowing down my sketches and trying to make the best decisions.

What are 5 of your favorite design items at home?

My cat. Not the design items, but she relieves my stress. I usually work with my iPad and MacBook, but I love colored pencils and acrylic markers.

Can you describe a day in your life?

Every day is different. I sleep late and get up late. I usually work when everyone's asleep because, after midnight, I love those silences and air. I work, I read books, and I work again. Work out and work, that's it.

Could you please share some pearls of wisdom for young designers? What are your suggestions to young, up and coming designers?

I'm still young, and I'm still trying to find my way as a designer, but I think if you want to be or do anything, they should at least pour their all hearts and put everything into their work once in their life. Experiencing and remembering myself trying and working the hardest in the room gives me some type of courage; these memories kept me going when I was having hard times and didn't know what to do.

From your perspective, what would you say are some positives and negatives of being a designer?

Positive, being a designer is being myself, so I'm constantly evolving and in the process of self-idealization, which makes me incredibly happy and grateful. Negative, I get more and more sensitive about many things in life. But I still appreciate my being sensitive because that means I'm growing professionally and just as a human.

What is your "golden rule" in design?

My golden rule would be that the design should speak for itself; it shouldn't need many explanations.

What skills are most important for a designer?

Keen eyes for everything. The ability to stop, observe and talk to trivial and ridiculous things that others will just pass by.

Which tools do you use during design? What is inside your toolbox? Such as software, application, hardware, books, sources of inspiration etc.?

All kinds of scrappy fabrics, threads, buttons, straps and scissors, papers, stickers, markers, paints, colored pencils, brushes, glues, cards, iPad, and macbook.

Designing can sometimes be a really time consuming task, how do you manage your time?

I'm not best at managing times or scheduling but if there's a deadline I never miss it. Sometimes I pull an all nighter for that.

How long does it take to design an object from beginning to end?

It depends. It takes just a day when a perfect idea pops out of my head, and I just go for it and get it done; sometimes, I struggle, and it takes months to finish.

What is the most frequently asked question to you, as a designer?

I'm in fashion, so people often ask me when will my following collections be released. I'm still a young independent designer, so I can't drop a group every season, which is a shame. I always answer I'm working on it.

What was your most important job experience?

Every job experience is the most important because each job taught me different things. All of them make me grow professionally, and I appreciate every single occasion.

Who are some of your clients?

My clients are prominent filmmakers looking for costume designers or fashion companies.

What type of design work do you enjoy the most and why?

I'm a fashion designer, so I love designing clothes. Every single aspect of it, but I love collaging.

What are your future plans? What is next for you?

My next plan is to move back to the States. I learned fashion there, so I realize that working in the manner in the US than Korea fits me better. I will hopefully get excellent job opportunities in the States and pursue my master's degree.

Do you work as a team, or do you develop your designs yourself?

Both have pros and cons, but I usually work alone, but when I have ideas and need help to realize them, I sought to other professionals. Usually, they would be printmakers or 3D printing developers.

Do you have any works-in-progress being designed that you would like to talk about?

I'm planning a new collection, but right now is a very early stage, so it will take time for me to talk yet.

How can people contact you?

Whoever wants to contact me can reach out to: www.hyoniwoo.com, hyoniwooo@gmail.com, or instagram@hyoniistired.

Any other things you would like to cover that have not been covered in these questions?

Thank you for reading this! I appreciate your time and attention; it's an honor!