I met Juel Hyunjoo Chung in Milano, I saw some of her designs and I wanted to interview her to share her story and collections. She is very passionated about her work!
Edited by: Liselotte Fleur.
Let me introduce you Juel Hyunjoo Chung, she was born and raised in Seoul, South Korea. After she graduated at an university in Seoul with a degree of Classical Music Composition, she moved to London to start a new adventure as a designer. She studied fashion design at Central Saint Martins for 3 years and during the school time and after graduate she had some experience of working in several designer houses such as Alexander Mcqueen and Gareth Pugh and even at the retail store Browns. By the time she was working in London she met her Italian husband and they moved to Italy together. In Italy she started her own brand HEIN JUEL named after her name. The year she started her brand in Italy, she was selected for the finalist at Project Next Generation of National Chamber of Fashion in Milano (Camera Nazionale della Moda di Milano), and participated in Project Runway Korea season 2. And she kept having fashion shows and exhibitions in different cities (Milan, Paris, Catania, etc. This year she had designed the official uniform of Monaco Cycle team, and many of her dresses are used in L’oreal’s national campaign which will be published in June.
How did you get interested in becoming a fashion designer?
I have always been interested in creating something. When I was young I was so much into music and I wanted to be a music composer and as a proof of that I went to South Korea’s most well known university (Seoul National University) to study music. After a while I opened my eyes to different sector of creating such as painting, designing. I also found myself more interested in fashion design than music. Looking back to my old time, I have always liked fashion and accessories while I wanted to be a musician. When I considered fashion as sort of “interest” or “hobby”, seeing French Vogue helped me to open my eyes to the new fashion world and let me realise that I want to be a fashion designer.
How do you get inspiration for your clothes?
Anything I see, think, feel. It can be from a small object to one’s emotion or social issues.
How would you describe your style of fashion?
Little eccentric but wearable. Little kitsch yet elegant.
What was your latest collection and what was the concept behind the collection?
The latest one I did is SS12 season. I wanted to deliver all different emotions what people could get from different types of light. The daylight sneaking in between your curtain in the morning, or a bed-side lamp in the night time, or the bright sunshine that you cannot watch with direct eye contact, or light with thunder… there is so much different light we can see in our usual life and all has it’s own colour and mood. I wanted to express those emotions we get from different lights through this collection.
What kind of person do you imagine wearing your clothing?
I like HEIN JUEL’s women to have some class. This doesn’t mean that it should be luxury or high level. People who wear my design could go along with any society, occasion, and place, with certain class of their own. My clothing is not for daily usual look. I make clothes what women wear when they want to look more special. I wish women enjoy the moment wearing my clothes.
What goes through your mind when you design a collection?
When I design, I don’t have any rules. I like using any kind of combination of colours, silhouette, texture, materials from classic to quirky match. The only thing I keep in my mind is, I keep trying hundreds different combinations, until I feel ‘wow, yes, this is it’.
What is your favorite design and why?
Of mine? Of course everything. Every each pieces are the outcome of a long time of consideration and effort. What are you working on now? I’m preparing the lookbook and catalogue of next collection (AW12) to bring to London. I have several meetings in London’s well known boutiques next week.
How do you see yourself in the ‘fashion world’?
For now I want to describe myself as an explorer. I believe there are so many things that I will discover by experience, and by time I will become a conqueror, in a good way. My role in fashion world is a creator, will be a creator even after.
What can we expect to see from you in the future?
I am trying to do various design work, not only clothing but jewellery, accessories, even furniture as well. I wish that you can see my designs even in different sectors.
Credits:
Picture 1-4: Photographers: Rik Versteeg & Liselotte Fleur
Hair & Make up : Mocja Skof
Models: Giedre K @ MP Management Milano &
Jenna @ Boom Management Milano
Pictures 5-8: Photographer : Alexander Habesland
Model : Nathalia Oliveira
Hair & Make up : Luca Cianciolo
Dress & Shoes : Hein Juel
Picture 9-10: Photographer : Christoph Ammann
Model : Tamara Maritz & Simone Winkler
Hair & Make Up : Monika Maks
Coordinator : John Merlino
Assistent : Tina Langer
Picture 11 : Photographer Raissa Biscotti
Makeup : Elena Marchesi
Styling : Giulia Meterangelis
Model : Monika @ Whynot
Picture 12: Photographer : Christoph Ammann
Coordinator : John Merlino
Models : Tamara Maritz & Simone Winkler
Hair & Make Up : Monika Maks
Assistent : Tina Langer
