Customellow Collaborates with Installation Artist Yang Hye Gyu

[Asia Economy Reporter Yujin Cho] Customellow, a men's clothing brand operated by Kolon Industries FnC division (hereinafter Kolon FnC), is presenting a collaborative collection with the world-renowned installation artist Yang Hye-kyu.

Yang Hye-kyu, who has been actively working between Seoul and Berlin since the 1990s, has previously collaborated on exhibitions for the window displays of Galeries Lafayette in France (2016) and created permanent installations at Maison Herm?s Dosan Park (2017). This is her first collaboration with a domestic brand.

This collaboration centers on eight works showcased at last month's opening of 'MMCA Hyundai Motor Series 2020: Yang Hye-kyu?O₂ & H₂O,' including 'Sounding Household Objects' and 'Silent Storage - Clicked Inner Heart,' as well as '108 Wooden Spoons' by Mokwoo Workshop, which was presented as an 'exhibition within the exhibition.'

The collection design incorporates not only images of the artworks but also the materials, tools, and production processes used in their creation as subjects of interpretation. Product labels include detailed explanations of the artworks integrated into the items, enhancing the meaning of the collaboration and expressing a kind of 'walking art gallery.'

This collaborative collection consists of over 30 styles ranging from clothing such as T-shirts and coats to accessories like socks and caps. Each product forms a pair with the artwork outside the exhibition. The bell details applied to coats and jackets are derived from the bells used as the main material in 'Sounding Household Objects,' reinforcing the coherence between the artworks and the products.

For eco-bags, a custom-designed bag was planned to perfectly fit Yang Hye-kyu's first Korean-language anthology 'Air and Water: Collection of Writings on Yang Hye-kyu 2001-2020,' which is a linked publication of this exhibition, as well as the exhibition catalog scheduled for release this year. All products will also be sold at the National Museum of Modern and Contemporary Art's online and offline art shops, reaching customers through a broader approach.

This capsule collection is also available at the online select shop ‘29cm.’ During this period, customers purchasing collaboration products can receive a 7% discount and will be given lenticular postcard sets featuring images of Yang Hye-kyu’s artworks on a first-come, first-served basis.

Customellow brand manager Dongho Lee stated, “Collaborations with artists from various fields not only allow us to explain Customellow from a new perspective but also fully demonstrate Customellow’s capability for high-quality detail. Through this work with artist Yang Hye-kyu, we were able to expand Customellow’s artistic worldview.”