EP.8 • JEONG LI
JEONG LI LIVES in Seoul, South Korea.
He currently works as the director of the clothing brand J EONGL I and the innovative garment development agency T A N T A.
We know that research into technical materials is very important to you, how do you go about this? Do you go directly to study realities that produce special materials or do you start first by imagining what kind of feature you would like for your products and then go?
Always conducting research and research on new technologies and materials. And while designing, I'm determine what elements are appropriate to include and apply the technology in our design database.
Your garments move between city use and use in particular weather and natural conditions. You design protection for people starting from functionality exactly as an architect would who builds dwellings that are first of all useful and secondly aesthetically interesting. What relationship do you feel between your way of designing and architecture? Do you feel an affinity between the two practices?
That's right, architecture, which has developed both the functional aspects necessary for people's lives and the external beauty, resembles my design elements. Along with technology and elements for the wearer, external beauty is also given importance.
You have the opportunity to travel a lot and to be in contact with very different cultures. What inspires you most when you travel? Are you mainly struck by big things such as environments and structures, or by small details and inconspicuous elements?
I can see that the lifestyle and clothes of people in each country are tailored to that city.
This gives me inspiration on how to move forward.
Is it more the everyday and calm routine that makes you think about what new garments to create or the extraordinary situations of strong novelty and impact?
That’s right, I spend every day thinking about new materials or technical aspects.
The lines of your products are reminiscent of the metal skeletons that are used inside sculptures to support shapes and weights. Is it important for you to observe human behaviour to design new collections and to understand what technical choices to make when choosing materials?
I tend to use human movements and joints as a reference for clothing. Ultimately, people have to wear them, so always try to make clothes that are natural and not overdesigned.