A guide to Seoul: where to find the best Korean and international fashion, a place to eat and the only place to stay
South Korea’s capital is the place for luxury and independent home-grown brands, both in Gangnam district and beyond
Sorry Tokyo, Seoul is the beating heart of Asian fashion and has been for a few years now.
Once the kids in places such as Hong Kong, Singapore and Shanghai took style cues from Japan, the blistering (and mind-numbing) explosion of K-pop and K-drama has brought K-fashion along in its wake. Every little girl wants to dress like Girls Generation and every little boy like G-Dragon.
Seoul has all the familiar luxury brands, but the real gems are the dozens of independent, up-and-coming ‘Made in Korea’ brands. There are so many places to shop in the capital that there will never be enough time to visit all of them.
Here is a list of must-see shops and places to stay and eat.
Gangnam District is the biggest and brashest fashion district in South Korea. Cheongdam-dong ward is stuffed with every luxury label imaginable. The area is worth visiting just for the enormous House of Dior, an incredible boutique with a Pierre Herme cafe inside and an undulating fabric-like facade designed by Peter Marino.