Shoe brand Suecomma Bonnie proves Psy is not Seoul's only export

It's no secret that Korean brands are having their moment in the style spotlight, but one of the pioneers was shoe label Suecomma Bonnie. Regarded as Korea's first luxury shoe brand, it was founded by stylish entrepreneur Bo-hyun (or Bonnie) Lee in 2003 and has since become one of the country's biggest success stories.

Lee is considered a celebrity back home but she is charming and down-to-earth in person. She was recently in Hong Kong to launch the brand's latest autumn-winter 2013 collection at an event dedicated to Korean designers at Harvey Nichols.

"There's something about Korean designers that seem new and fresh, especially when you compare them to well-known international brands," she says.

"It's true that Korean culture is becoming more popular but I think people are craving something different, especially in fashion. I am just happy that people love our designs."

Although Lee trained as a menswear designer and owned a popular vintage boutique in Seoul, it was her love of footwear that inspired her to launch her own brand.

"I was at a point where I thought I wanted to get out of the fashion industry forever. Then I started to work in the shoe industry for a Spanish brand and I learned how to make and design shoes.