Our cars, our clothes, ourselves

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9 page
K
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Tuesday, May 20, 2003
Our cars, our clothes,
ourselves
Packaged to perfection,
Seoul’s hippest people
strut their stuff
By Inès Cho
Staff Writer
N
othing turns heads faster than an
immaculately dressed man or woman
stepping out of a gorgeous car.
In Korean society, it’s the ultimate
fashion statement: you are what you wear and
what you drive.
That’s why Mercedes-Benz combined cars
and clothes at the 2003 Korea Import Motor
Show in Seoul earlier this month. There were
some of its flagship models — the S600,
E320, C200 Kompressor, SL500 Roadster
and CLK Cabriolet — and plenty of luxury brands on parade; Louis Vuitton,
Celine, Escada and Ermenegildo Zegna, to
name a few.
“Mercedes-Benz’s image — beauty, elegance, safety and reliablity — is expressed through
the artistic performances and the fashion shows at this
exhibiton,” said Ivo Maull, the president of MercedesBenz Korea, explaining that fashion trends have long been
important elements in the design of cars.
It’s not just design. It’s marketing, too.
BMW Korea has made a habit of sponsoring local fashion events and including fashion in its car shows. When
BMW launched the 760Li in Korea last month, the car was
displayed with a model wearing an elegant haute couture
dress designed by the Paris-based Korean designer Ji
Haye.
General Motors and the Italian jeweler Bulgari entered
a partnership in 2000 to launch the Cadillac Imaj, a highconcept car, at the 2000 Geneva Auto Show. Bulgari
designed the aluminum luggage and distinctive instrumentation for the car, adding a glamorous image to the
American luxury car.
Mercedes, by comparison, came late to the party. Two
years ago, it signed a multi-year agreement with 7th on
Sixth Inc., the organizer of the New York Fashion Week,
to market its cars beginning with the Fall 2001 collections.
The combination — New York, fashion, Mercedes — is a
powerhouse.
The formula was repeated in Korea in April during the
2003 Seoul Collection Week when Mercedes showcased
its SL500 Roadster. The message to the young audience
was clear: to be hip, you have to dress and drive hip.
Celine’s sporty look was matched with
the Mercedes-Benz F400 concept car at the
2003 Korea Import Motor Show.
Travel was
the primary theme at this month’s
motor show. So it was only natural that the legendary
1954 300SL Roadster, with its classic gull-wing doors,
was matched with vintage Louis Vuitton suitcases.
Louis Vuitton’s fashion show featured simple, minimal designs. The women’s collection was light and
bright, in candy colors reminiscent of the 1960s, accentuated by the latest Murakami bags. Jersey tops and dresses, lined with bold black taping, demonstrated how much
designer Marc Jacobs is inspired by the Mod movement.
Light-weight windbreakers for men and short trench
coats in fuchsia for women were modeled as travel essentials.
The Spanish brand Agnona had its models decked out
in tropical colors for the summer. Agnona’s collection
was full of vibrant orange, apple green, lemon yellow and
violet. The designer suggests that Korean women traveling overseas, or even to the a neighboring province, dress
in breathable, stretchy fabrics. Agnona’s viscose knit tops
are a good example. They were soft and cool to the touch.
A sweater set in solid orange — made from extra-fine
summer wool — were perfect atop skirts or pants. Lightcolored, hip-hugging skirts provide comfort and sex
appeal.
Escada Golf’s A-line skirts and slim capri pants are
made of stretchy cotton. Simple combed-cotton shirts in
are cool and colorful.
Celine presented its new line of pocket-laden accessories inspired by the charms of Paris. Its vest, cap, waist
bag and tote bag were comfortable, functional and youthful — and easy to match with most any outfit while traveling.
With the latest textiles and styling, businessmen can
keep that crisp look, whether alighting from a sleek Mercedes in the posh Cheongdam-dong district of Seoul or a
747 at Incheon International Airport.
“For the new season, you need to break away from the
old idea of matching classic items with classic items in the
same materials only,” said Cho Sung-ki, the visual merchandiser for the Korean operations of Ermenegildo Zegna, the Italian men’s fashion house. “Think ‘classic meets
sports’ and try to mix and match.”
At the auto show, the Zegna models wore classic navy
blue blazers with beige cotton twill pants and soft, lightblue driving shoes instead of loafers or oxfords.
The driving shoes had comfortable rubber soles. The
blazers were made of cool summer wool coated with
Teflon, making them dirt resistant and waterproof.
“Who says you can’t wear a tie on a combed-cotton
polo shirt?” Mr. Cho asked.
To add to the fun sense of styling, Zegna introduced a
“twin tie” this season. It has two patterns — striped on
one side and solid on the other — so its owner can change
his look simply by flipping the tie.
Zegna’s all-linen summer jacket in comes without a
heavy lining, functioning as something between a shirt
and a jacket. It’s matched with either a delicately pintucked linen shirt or a seersucker shirt. The latest styling
suggests that linen can be liberally matched with cotton
or other blended fabrics and can be worn with or without
a tie.
What do you do if protocol calls for a formal suit?
“That’s where high-technology comes in,” Mr. Cho
says. Zegna’s classic pinstriped suit is made from a fine
wool-silk blend, giving it a subtle blue-gray shimmer. It
feels light as a feather and is virtually wrinkle free.
“That way, you can get out of a cramped seat and still
look perfect,” he says, “as if you just stepped out of the tailor’s shop.”
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Retro-chic patterns, equatorial-imbued colors revive fun for the fashionable
Tropical colors
Bold patterns
Classically sporty
Wrinkle-free
This summer’s fashion is
about hanging around the
world’s equatorial zones.
Stripes in bright colors and
’60s retro-chic geometric
patterns are hot this season.
Suiting up means taking
advantage of the latest technology.
Bold tropical colors —
orange,
violet,
green,
magenta, yellow — dominate the designs by the top
fashion brands.
Bold flower patterns —
think “Hawaii Five-O” — in
similar color groups are recommended.
Mixing and matching is in
this season. Stylish men
are wearing business jackets with cotton twill pants
and comfortable shoes —
with or without a tie.
Agnona, from Spain, introduces outfits that are ideal
for traveling. To match solid pants or skirts, pack lightweight, comfortable jerseys
and knitwear in sultry colors.
Be daring by wearing striking patterns.
And, while you’re at it, get
your man to wear something that fits the trend, like
flashy striped ties or an
Austin Powers-style ascot.
Ties this summer are fun,
with splashy stripes or
arresting patterns.
Relaxed,
light-colored
shoes call for color-coordinated belts or no belt at all.
Either polo or traditional
button shirts can be worn
beneath a blazer.
Ermenegildo Zegna’s summer-wool blazer is coated
with Teflon, which makes it
resistant to dirt and water.
The original power suit, the
pinstripe, shown at left, has
been updated by Zegna
with Tropeo, a blend of
wool and silk, which feels
soft and is light and cool. It
gives off a lustrous bluegray sheen. What’s more,
it’s virtually wrinkle-free.
Rugged for men and refined for women, it’s a hot summer of cool contrasts
Louis Vuitton
Calvin Klein
Celine
Loewe
Adventurers get chic this
Calvin Klein goes for sim-
Celine takes a trip to distant
The Spanish designer Jose
season with Louis Vuitton.
plicity in neutral colors —
destinations. The designs
Enrique Ona Selfa is all
white, ivory or black — that
exude sensuality with hot,
about leather this season.
are soft in silhouette.
spicy colors — curry, nut-
A boxy jacket is draped
over a comfortably fitting
shirt.
Military-inspired
Bold is out, delicate is in.
pants and lace-up trekking
shoes complete the look.
meg, marble, tangerine —
Loewe’s leather is braided,
and bold patterns and Indi-
taking its shape as embroi-
an influences.
dered flowers or straps that
Characteristic Klein is the
can be worn as belts.
white cotton jersey and
The look is rugged, casual
Mineral colors — gray,
translucent nylon astro-
and elegant. Throw Bolly-
The result is breathtakingly
ochre, orange, teal green
naut pants, at left.
wood gold accents over a
beautiful — a feminine, col-
— in cotton, silk and buffa-
mood is stylish, sophisti-
simple tank top.
Add a
orful, handcrafted design
lo leather dominate Vuit-
cated and practical, even in
crushed muffler to wrap
that exudes Spanish her-
ton’s look.
full-gravity conditions.
the waist and neck.
itage and history.
The
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