New Year, New Talent—8 Designers to Watch This Year

WHO: Nayon Kim, Director of Nayon

For those who are unfamiliar with your work, how long have you been in the industry? 

I’ve been in the industry since 2016 as a stylist in Seoul, South Korea. Then, I moved to New York to study fashion design at Parsons School of Design. Since graduating, I’ve been freelancing and doing the visuals for Psy’s idol group TNX.

How did you come to realize that you wanted to start your label? 

I always wanted to express my vision through my own label, and now looked like a good time to start.

It’s no secret that there are so many brands out there, but for you, what did you feel was missing in the market before you started your label? What do you hope to bring to the industry? 

I have been thinking about this question for a long time and realized what was missing is timeless, quality garments that do not rely on sales or being viral on social media. I want to bring nobility to garments.

One thing that makes your label so special is each collection is gender-neutral. Why was it imperative to create clothing that everyone could wear? 

I don’t believe that clothing should be gendered. People should choose what they want to wear. It is like music—people can feel differently about an artist or a song, and there is no right or wrong to it.

You have spent your early years working as a stylist for Blackpink. What made you decide you wanted to pivot into fashion design? How have your collective experiences in the industry impacted how you approach every aspect of your business, from product design to marketing?

My goal was to always work as a fashion designer. Starting out styling with Blackpink was a fortunate opportunity that came to me before starting design school and helped me learn about the fashion industry.   

You were awarded the CFDA Design Scholar Award in 2021—what was that moment like for you? And how has it impacted your brand?  

It was a moment that gave me the confidence to start my own brand. I was having some hard times, and the CFDA Awards opportunity gave me a chance to believe in myself and start fresh.

How do you hope your brand shifts how the industry defines menswear and womenswear? 

I hope that Nayon can give people flexible viewpoints and visuals without emphasizing gender.

The past few years have been tumultuous for many designers—from dealing with supply-chain issues to the pandemic. Did the instability of the market ever deter you from starting the label? And how, if at all, has it impacted your approach to your work? 

It is hard to start something small without access to the materials or help. As someone creating something new, it was hard to afford great-quality pieces without the funding to back producing them.

You just released your fall/winter 2023 collection—can you tell us a little about it? Where did you draw inspiration from? How long did it take to develop it? 

Brutalism has been a big inspiration, and the collection merges that design concept with my thoughts about this generation. For this season, I had a month, which is very little time.

Lastly, though the brand is still new, how do you hope it will change the industry? What do you envision for the future of the brand?

I would like to show that it is possible to build a creative house without following the trends. I want the brand to contribute to the culture, not just the fashion industry.