Fashion is an extremely creative industry, and one in which designers from all over the world can have their work celebrated by fashion lovers everywhere. Next in Fashion, a competition series hosted by Tan France and Alexa Chung, premiered on Netflix in January 2020 and sought to showcase the work of just a handful of these designers.
Each week, the contestants would be given a theme for their designs, such as red carpet or lingerie, and would be critiqued at the end of the week after a runway presentation with models in hair and make-up specific to the designer’s vision. After these critiques, one or two contestants would be eliminated. The end of the series would see a winner crowned as ‘The Next in Fashion’, and would gain a $250,000 prize and the opportunity to debut a collection on luxury fashion site Net-A-Porter. Think The X Factor, but for fashion designers!
After being praised week in, week out with only a couple of minor faults, South Korean designer Minju Kim was declared victorious in front of many iconic names in fashion, including celebrity stylist Elizabeth Stewart and Instagram’s head of fashion Eva Chen. Kim was noted for her incredible silhouettes and shapes throughout her time on the series, and was praised for having an incredibly unique vision unlike any other.
Just a couple of examples of Minju Kim’s unique silhouettes. Photo credits to Minju Kim, Chae Dae Han and HYPEBAE.
Upon the announcement of her victory, Kim began to tear up, saying: “Next in Fashion makes me realise how much I love this job and how much I’m such a great fashion designer! I’m very proud of myself”.
The series highlighted Kim’s trouble with confidence, as she was brought up in a home in which business was seen as more important than expression and creativity. It was an incredibly satisfying moment as a viewer to watch this designer finally become a more confident person and realise her worth in her career.
Minju Kim, pictured in centre, with a group of models showcasing her gorgeous designs that have launched on the Net-A-Porter website.
Kim was interviewed by HYPEBAE in regards to her win on the Netflix show, her love for fashion, and her plans for 2020. In this interview, Kim discussed the importance of showing her background through her designs after working on multiple challenges with Chinese designer Angel Chen: “Our designs clearly showed where we both come from. We really thought that we showed the Asian aesthetic that we love.”
When asked about her plans for her eponymous fashion label for the rest of 2020, Kim revealed that her Fall/Winter collection at Seoul Fashion Week is at the top of her priority list. With Seoul Fashion Week scheduled to begin on October 20th, it will come as no surprise to see Kim’s unusual yet beautiful designs shared all over the internet – keep your eyes peeled!
Although it was announced earlier in the summer that Next in Fashion will not be returning for a second series, the first series still has plenty to unpack even after it has ended – it has showcased an extremely talented group of designers who will gain huge momentum and a dedicated following from this show for years to come.
Quotation credits to HYPEBAE and Next in Fashion, a Netflix competition series
Have you watched Next in Fashion? Let us know what you thought of it on Twitter @Fashion_North!
