Two emerging fashion designers, Kye Han-hee of KYE and Park Jong-woo of BAJOWOO, won the 2014 Samsung Fashion Design Fund, an annual award given to talented young Korean designers, on Tuesday.

Launched in 2005, the award offers its recipients financial and logistical assistance to help them prepare collections and promote their brands. It is the only fashion award in Korea that offers $100,000 to young designers as well as administrative and logistical assistance. Recipients also have a chance to collaborate with popular fashion brands under Cheil Industries, an affiliate of Samsung Group, such as Bean Pole and Beaker. 

“The financial support can cover preparations for two collections a year. The SFDF helps talented young Korean designers who attempt to make their names known on the international fashion scene to fully dedicate themselves to their creations,” said Song Ju-baek, who manages the SFDF at Cheil Industries.

Fashion designer Park Jong-woo of the Japan-based brand BAJOWOO launched his brand in 2012. His rock chic style highlighted with studs and zippers has been popular among celebrities, including Justin Bieber, Chris Brown, Joe Odagiri, Hiroshi Tamaki and G-Dragon. Park debuted at Tokyo Fashion Week with his S-S 2014 collection.

“I would like to expand the spectrum of my brand in terms of the range of customers and style. I don’t set a role model. I want to make clothes that people in creative industries like music and fashion would want to wear,” said Park at the press conference announcing the SFDF recipients on Tuesday.

Kye of the eponymous brand KYE has been on the radar in the Korean fashion community since her first collection in 2011 in Seoul. Her witty casual street clothes have been popular among Korean celebrities such as the members of 2NE1, EXO and Big Bang. She participates in New York Fashion Week and Seoul Fashion Week.

“The SFDF fund will help me take my brand further in New York, where I just started showing my collections,” she said.

By Lee Woo-young (wylee@heraldcorp.com)