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Namwoo Kim

Fashion Institute of Technology

Namwoo Kim is a Korean fashion designer based in New York City. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), she earned a BFA in Fashion Design with a specialization in Sportswear and received the Critic's Award for her graduating collection. Drawing from personal memories and cinematic atmospheres, Namwoo's work blends storytelling with technical experimentation. Each garment carries emotional weight - rooted in nostalgia, youth, and the liminal space between comfort and new destinations within a journey. Her design language merges soft silhouettes with utilitarian details, often exploring themes of identity, belonging, and growth. Namwoo approaches fashion as a form of poetic storytelling - where fabric becomes memory, and every detail on clothing becomes a container for emotion. Influenced by both Eastern sensibilities and Western sportswear culture, her work often exists in the intersection of softness and strength, subtlety and functionality. Sustainability and emotional longevity are key to her process: garments are designed with intentional materials, details executed with care, and a commitment to slow creation. Her aesthetic favors material manipulations, hybrid silhouettes, and nostalgic colors that feel lived-in with love.

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"Journey" Chapter One: Old Memories & "Chapter Two: The Encounter"

Category: Apparel

Competitions: Fashion Competition 2025

“Journey” is a story told through clothing, accessories, and images. It’s about young dreamers who step away from the familiar, searching for something of their own—new places, new adventures. The collection follows that quiet, personal path through silhouettes that feel both tender and practical—shaped by the emotions and memories picked up along the way. The garments are built with real life in mind: multiple-use pockets, modular details, and convertible layers made to move, hold, and protect. All the fabrics are sourced from local NYC deadstock suppliers, then reworked by hand—like painting directly onto plain canvas to create texture, layering otter wax on ripstop for extra durability, or shaping wool felt into sculptural hats. These small details create a dialogue between functionality and art—my way of making fashion feel like something you can live in, making it into an accessbile and wearable art. The color palette is drawn from nature—sun-faded browns, dusty blues, muted army greens—tones that feel like landscapes remembered from a long walk or a snapshot of memories formed along their journey. Material sourcing was a deeply considered part of this collection. all fabrics were sourced from local NYC dead stock fabric vendors, gravitating towards organic fibers, and recycled blends, making use of what already exists rather than creating new waste. Textiles are chosen not only for their physical properties, but for their emotional resonance—those that feel sun-worn, softened by time, or imperfect in ways that tell a story. Natural dyeing methods and low-impact finishes are integrated to preserve the integrity of the materials while minimizing environmental harm. Through this process, each garment becomes a reimagined artifact, carrying the quiet beauty of something once lost and now found. In the end, “Journey” is about becoming. It’s clothing made with care, stitched with meaning, and carried forward with quiet hope. This ordinary story has revealed two chapters so far, and will continue to develop further as seasons go by.

In association with Arts Thread

Working with our partners at Arts Thread to develop lifelong learning and career opportunities for students of fashion and design. Our partnership provides the opportunity to compete on a world stage, participate in industry led workshops, set up an outstanding portfolio and gain access to the resources that will kickstart careers in fashion and design.