LFWSS25 - Gyouree Kim's Cherubium: A Stunning Debut at London Fashion Week Celebrating Romantic Femininity and Unconventional Design
Before last week Gyouree Kim was not a name I had heard. Trust me when I say, it has since become a name I will not forget.
Making her London Fashion Week debut with the collection ‘Cherubium’, the designer has successfully delivered a completely flawless series of designs. A student of fashion institutes in both Seoul and London, she brings to her craft extensive years of technical garment making, producing semi-couture looks that are intricate, delicate, and expertly constructed.
“I’m always looking for interesting silhouettes”, Kim stated when I got a chance to catch up with her post-show, “with this collection I wanted to do something I really liked and was drawn to.”
Here, in the hustle of backstage melodrama, I find it hard to place the introspective designer I am talking to. Surrounded by clamouring hoards of well-wishers waiting to offer their congratulations, as well as eager journalists - myself included - chomping at the bit to ask a slew of questions, I imagine it’s an overwhelming conclusion to her debut. In the face of such chaos, I want to focus on calmer energies, so I ask about Gyouree’s design process. The impression I’m left with is of a designer who considered every minute detail of each garment, who is tactile and involved with every stage of the design process.
“My process is very spontaneous. Rather than drawing, and then making, I do them in tandem with each other.” The designer emphasises the importance of autonomy over her designs, “Because I make all my own designs myself, it means I get the chance to manipulate the designs along the process as and when I want. If you’re giving the designs to someone else to make there’s not always that opportunity.”
An unconventional process that has produced striking results.
The designer’s signature corseting, for example, is manipulated in an almost gothic way. Modelled on Victorian polonaise dresses the choice to use unconventional fabrics, such as “second-hand curtains”, is bold and effective.
Likewise, here the mini caged crinoline draws on images of the Romantics, perfect for a collection inspired by Love. Whilst a coquettish take on cream micro shorts presents an exaggerated outline that compels her audience to be unable to picture anything other than Oscar Wilde levels of Victorian debauched revelry. Paired with a puff boat-neck bodice, reminiscent of heavenly clouds, this look sets the tone of the collection. Each individual piece works in tandem to present a dainty, feminine take on sculptured design. Where others may have chosen to form angular outlines and harsh boning, Gyouree Kim has leaned into the delicate and gentle - a move I admire.
A femininity that is, thankfully, not limited to women. So often when leaning into unisex design, designers choose to go down the more masculine route. Kim offers a different perspective. To the left, she exquisitely shows how traditionally feminine garments can be worn in an un-gendered way. The low-rise skirt paired with a lace, sleeveless bodice creates an enthralling depiction of power. Power that embraces, rather than rejects, ‘airy’ femininity. I particularly love the accessorisation of lace fabric on the shoulder of the top. Likewise, the decision to use satin fabrics. Both draw the eye to key design elements. The triangular waistband of the exposed crinoline, for example, alongside the hemline of the bodice, flatters the wearer and expertly draws the eye up to the centre point of the look – a white rose clutched by the model's chest.
An emblem that encompasses each exquisite, thoughtful element of the display. A display that was more of a performance than a fashion show. Each model carried down the runway a singular white rose, each with a unique note attached on the stem, then placed in the hands of various audience members. It was reminiscent of a wedding party, the models floating down the aisle urging us to join Gyouree Kim’s opulent celebration of romance. In rapture, I tell Gyouree how compelling I found each moment of a note being handed out, “Love letters” she says. “They’re love letters to the audience”. A love expressed by the designer that was well and truly mutual, as she came down to accept her final bow she was met with rambunctious applause.
I think it’s her design’s uniqueness that the audience truly appreciated. It is clear her vision is going to develop into something world-making. The shoes she chose, for example, highlight how original her execution is. Almost Tim Burton-esque, the dramatic high lacing, and long pointed tips add mystique to the collection and, when viewed against the backdrop of the current global fashion stage, offer a much more eccentric take of ballet flats and Mary-Janes.
An ingenuity that is only exemplified further by the stand-out piece of this collection, in my opinion. The final look of the evening was a long veiled wide brim hat, over lace ruffled shorts and intricately woven lace tights. A refined reimagining of Southern bell charm. Puff sleeves offset the flowing drapery of the hat, whilst the short-shorts and tie-back shirt also work to nullify what could be an all-encompassing deluge of fabric. The outcome? Perfection. Gyouree Kim’s artistry shows that, when expert craftsmanship meets ingenious design, fashion can transcend the High Street and truly become an art form itself.
She has reached heights of success with her designs others can only dream of, and with her talent, care, and expertise, I’m sure there is only higher to climb still. I hope I will be there to see it.
Written by Daisy Packwood
Edited by Holly Anderson
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