Seoul Fashion Week begins with show along historic palace wall

The 2026 Spring/Summer edition of Seoul Fashion Week kicked off Monday along the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul, drawing celebrities, influencers and officials from across industries.

Models walk along the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul during Andersson Bell’s show, which opened the 2026 Spring/Summer Seoul Fashion Week on Monday. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Lights, music, heritage and fashion.

The 2026 Spring/Summer edition of Seoul Fashion Week kicked off Monday along the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul, drawing celebrities, influencers and officials from across industries.

Monday's show marked the first time the city's official fashion week runway had been staged outside Dongdaemun Design Plaza (DDP) in cental Seoul, the longtime venue for the event.

Despite a 30-minute delay caused by rain, Korea’s contemporary brand Andersson Bell drew a full house, with K-pop stars including IVE’s Gaeul, Hueningkai of Tomorrow X Together, and Ian and Jiwoo of girl group Hearts2Hearts.

“It was striking to see modern fashion blend into such a traditional atmosphere,” said a 28-year-old attendee who majored in fashion design.

Models walk along the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul during Andersson Bell’s show, which opened the 2026 Spring/Summer Seoul Fashion Week on Monday. [YONHAP]

Model Shin Hyun-ji walks along the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul during Andersson Bell’s show, which opened the 2026 Spring/Summer Seoul Fashion Week on Monday. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Spectators photograph models walking the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul during Andersson Bell’s show, which opened the 2026 Spring/Summer Seoul Fashion Week on Monday. [NEWS1]

A model walks along the stonewall path of Deoksu Palace in central Seoul during Andersson Bell’s show, which opened the 2026 Spring/Summer Seoul Fashion Week on Monday. [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

Under the theme “Soft Clash,” Andersson Bell’s 2026 S/S collection explored the harmony of elements not easily combined, drawing inspiration from Mark Rothko’s color-field paintings and the “twisted attitudes” of 1990s icons PJ Harvey and Jarvis Cocker.

City officials said the event aimed to “exhibit K-fashion, which combines youth, energy, technology and art, in a setting that showcases the colorful charms of Seoul.”

Hosted by the Seoul Metropolitan Government, Seoul Fashion Week marks its 25th anniversary this year. The S/S edition runs through Sunday.

Other cultural and historical sites — including the Oil Tank Culture Park in western Seoul and Heungcheon Temple in central Seoul — will also serve as stages for off-shows. Twenty-seven domestic designer brands will present runways and installations at DDP, the EQL flagship store in Seongsu-dong in eastern Seoul, and at their own boutiques.

From Thursday to Saturday, 74 brands are set to participate in a trade exhibition at DDP, offering opportunities to connect with both domestic and international buyers.

Poster for 2026 Spring/Summer Seoul Fashion Week [SEOUL METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT]

BY CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]