South Korean DJ and designer Peggy Gou launches Kirin, a fashion line mixing high end and street style

What came first, music or fashion? “Fashion was my first career – I studied styling in London and worked for Harper’s Bazaar. The problem was I only enjoyed styling myself. I was bad at doing it for others; fortunately, I realised this quickly.

“I always loved music. I was going out every weekend and meeting DJs and promoters. One offered to give me lessons and I was hooked. My interest in fashion waned and I was in the studio all the time creating music. I was failing school but my mum wouldn’t let me go back to Korea until I passed.”

What drew you back to fashion? “When I started DJing I would wear a white or black T-shirt. I wanted to look serious and didn’t want people to pigeon-hole me as a fashion girl. I realised I wasn’t being myself, and I wasn’t happy. After that I was no longer afraid to show off my style. Later I met fashion designer Virgil Abloh and [Italian fashion company] New Guards Group, and they asked if I wanted to create my own fashion line.”

What’s the philosophy behind Kirin? “The clothes reflect my personal style [...] I don’t like to define it. Yes, I like streetwear and vintage shirts, but I also like dresses and high heels. I’m the same with my musical tastes – I don’t just want to do house, but also hip hop and other genres. I want to be eclectic when it comes to both music and fashion.”

Tell us about the first collection. “We’ve created a print featuring haetae, a mythical Korean animal. We’ve also used the smiley logo from acid music, which is a sound I love. Another print features a cartoon of a man from safety cards on aeroplanes. Some are posing with a turntable and others are wearing headphones. The collection is about things I like, not what women are missing from their wardrobes.”