It’s been five years since Ashlynn Park started her own label. What began as a few pieces the first season has flourished into a full collection of conceptual, easy-to-wear separates, dresses and outerwear in soft-to-the-skin fabrics like silk jersey and cotton sateen.
While the CFDA finalist’s pattern making and tailoring prowess can be attributed to her years working for Yohji Yamamoto, Issey Miyake and Raf Simons at Calvin Klein, what was evident this season is that the South Korean native has fully come into her own, with a clear sense of vision and self.
But it took time.
From South Korea, to Japan and then Stateside to New York, the designer lived through moments that shaped and expanded her creative vocabulary. Calling upon these times, she came up with the idea of a vessel as her starting point for spring — specifically, the Korean moon jar. The ability to transport the ceramic, and its asymmetric form created from the joining of two parts, informed Park when developing the construction and silhouettes of the garments.
Like a moon jar from the Joseon era, the clothes had volume, stature on top while they slimmed down to the base. Exaggerated puff-sleeve capelets; a frothy, cocoon-shaped dress, and a deconstructed gown with voluminous hips — these pieces were reminders of the full, rotund shape of the imperial vessel.
Park took it further, adding, “My summer was touching fabric and shaping the silhouette and learning a lesson of life, like one curve is pushing the other side — they need to accept [each other] and then build, raise together. From that, I learned about humans, relationships, mentality, philosophy.” She connects the patterns of a garment to human interactions, recognizing the importance of harmony through common threads.
Her message is relevant, especially in the period we are living in. And her story is an example of acceptance and humanity. “I didn’t expect they would welcome me, but they opened the door and they were like ‘Welcome, Ashley, do your thing,’” when recounting her experience as a designer in New York.
“I’ve been thinking I can do my own thing, just creating things, spreading, making my own universe. That’s my dream,” said Park.