MEET 10 SOUTH KOREAN MODELS RULING THE RUNWAYS

K-Pop and soap operas might be the best-known South Korean cultural exports but with a growing fashion industry bolstered by government investment, Seoul is quickly becoming one of Asia's new fashion capitals. With rising interest on homegrown designers, along with attention from global luxury brands who have been setting up shop throughout Seoul's Gangnam District, it's no wonder that some of the most exciting new faces in the modeling industry have been getting their start in the South Korean capital. And while you could argue that fashion's loves a 'moment,' and that Korea is the latest modeling incubator coming after the Netherlands, Russia and Brazil, the rise of non-white models also speaks to a long-needed wake up call in an industry often accused of favoring white models over models of color. While many industry professionals attribute a rise in Asian models to a desire to appeal to Asian consumers, in the words of Bethann Hardison, former model, longtime advocate for models of color and founder of Black Girls Coalition, "the reason [Asian models] are having a moment is because these brands need China [but] I don't care what the reason is, I'm glad it's happening." And so are we. Below, we asked fashion industry pros to highlight ten South Korean models who are starting to rule the runways.

INTERNATIONAL DESIGNER FROM INDONESIA

Dengan usaha dan tekad yang kuat, para desainer Tanah Air ini sukses mengharumkan nama bangsa di kancah dunia.

Nina Karina Nikicio

Perjalanan sukses seorang Nina Nikicio bukan tanpa hambatan. Label busana yang dinamai dari nama belakangnya itu mulai dibuat pada 2006 di Singapura. Awalnya, ia memulai bisnis ini ditemani tujuh orang teman, lima berasal dari Singapura dan dua lainnya dari Indonesia. 

Sayangnya setelah berjalan sekitar 6 bulan, Nina melihat bisnisnya tersebut kurang berkembang. Tak hanya karena sedikitnya brand lokal Asia, tapi juga merajalelanya brand retail luar negeri. 

Hingga akhirnya Nina memutuskan kembali ke Jakarta untuk mencari keberuntungannya di negeri sendiri. Tanpa modal besar, ia menjual koleksinya secara online. 

Ia juga gigih memasarkan karyanya di ajang fashion besar dan menitipkannya di department store lokal. Setelah sukses berkiprah di pasar lokal, kini ia memberanikan diri untuk merentangkan sayap ke Singapura dan Malaysia, bahkan sebentar lagi akan ada di Hong Kong dan Jepang.

How to Make QUOTE TOTE BAG

I am of the opinion you can never have too many tote bags. I use them for hauling groceries, carrying books from the library or just as a purse. They are so versatile! Here's how I made this hand-stamped quote bag:1. Supplies: blank tote bag, leather strips (mine were 1"x23"), scissors or a seam ripper, letter stamps, and fabric paint.