THE BRAND
Juun.J is one of the most observed designers of modern times and a pioneer for South Korean fashion development. With his vision and his understanding of genderless clothing, the South Korean, born as Jung Wook Jun, is creating a big buzz throughout the world and the industry. At Juun.J, elements such as the adaptation of feminine silhouettes to masculine key pieces, wide and oversized cuts, as well as the combination with tight-fitting and sleek elements play a major role and contribute to the look for which Juun.J is widely appreciated. Inspirations from the designer's Korean origins, his time in the military and his present life in the rapidly changing metropolis of Seoul all flow together into a great melting pot, which can be admired on the runways all over the world. .
HISTORY
Juun.J was founded in 2007 and is the follow-up of the brand Lone Costume, founded in 1999 by Jung Wook Jun, who immersed himself in the fashion industry after completing his military service and successfully completing his studies at ESMOD Seoul.
With his first runway collection in Paris in 2007, Juun.J made his international debut and has been admired for his sophistication in street attitude and sharp tailoring since then. The look that Juun.J brought to men's clothing was unique and a forerunner for many of today's brands that play with proportions, oversizing and layering.
K-Fashion has long been a power under the radar, and Juun J embodied a fundamental character in attracting worldwide attention to the South Korean market.
Paris was chosen as the stage for his debut on the world market, since the French capital was and is a source of inspiration for the designer Jung Wook Jun – a city that represent a base for him to communicate his identity and vision to the outside world. While other big cities tend to follow a trend or manifest their own trend, Paris is different, where everyone is given freedom and space for individuality.
In 2012, the brand joined the Samsung Cheil Industries group, where many growing and aspiring labels are picked up and supported.
In 2016 - at Pitti Uomo 89 in Florence - Juun J was the very first South Korean brand to be represented. This was a huge success for South Korea as a fashion metropolis and Juun.J as a designer.
With the collections in 2017, Juun.J is now also leaving its mark on women's clothing. The challenge here is to reverse its well-known system and apply it to women's fashion. However, unisex and gender neultral clothes still remains the core of every collection that's how Juun.J wants to gradually establish itself as a brand.
DESIGNER
Jung Wook Jun is a South Korean born & raised designer who grew up in a metropolis full of changing and fast-paced influences. The presence of the military was all around during his youth, and Jung Wook Jun himself served in the state during his time in South Korea's military. He didn't really like uniforms, but after a few years of service, he learned to appreciate the practicality and usability of these clothes. This knowledge influenced his later design aesthetics because Juun.J also lives Aout of his urban and utilitarian look which he offers to his customers. After his military service, he began his studies at ESMOD Seoul, which he finally completed in 1992. During his professional life in the design industry, he gained a lot of experience in different fashion houses. This experience was very important and necessary for him to launch his own brand "Lone Costume" in 1999. Lone Costume was already similar to what we know from Juun.J today. Large silhouettes, mainly of course men's clothing, which was worn by women as well. The signature piece was then and is now - the trench coat. It's a special romance, the one between Jung Wook Jun and his trench coat, which is reinterpreted season after season, year after year. Lone Costume becomes one of Korea's most interesting and relevant brands: with the touch of avant-garde, the know-how of a trained tailor and the streetwear attitude with everyday suitability, the young designer was able to secure a lot of fans and followers. With the launch of his label Juun.J in 2007, Jung Wook Jun is on his way to global fame. He always regards Juun.J himself as an international brand, but without neglecting a strong bond and a deep connection to South Korea's history and traditions. Jung Wook Jun also give great importance to the neutrality of genders. Korean society has created the image of a masculine man, resulting from things such as the obligation to suffer. In order to counteract this stereotype, Juun J is interested in softening up this image of the man. The feminine silhouettes are then combined with razor-sharp edges and aggressive shapes that result in an old yet futuristic look that works on a man but can be worn by anyone. The base idea for every collection is a certain mood, a feeling that it wants to transport. That's why each collection is very different, although there is always a red line within every collection. The design of the clothing is at the back, while the mood created indicates the rhythm and direction of the collection. The Korean designer often draws inspiration for the sleek tailored pieces from his great idols in the fashion world such as Helmut Lang and Karl Lagerfeld. Since Juun.J always stands for boundlessnes, the combination of different proportions and new forms, the adaptation from feminine to masculine to a unisex look - all this plays together. And all this means that Juun.J is now also taking a step in the direction of women's clothing. Juun.J becomes the right fashion house, a lifestyle brand.