When Rok Hwang, creative director at Rokh, was developing his upcoming collaboration with H&M, he went through great pains to achieve the perfect shade of beige. It had to be one that was neither too “formal” nor too “school uniform,” and one that felt “just the right side of vintage”—a touch more black was needed, apparently. It’s a small glimpse into the exacting nature of Hwang’s design process—a multi-faceted flow state that is displayed to full effect in his much-anticipated collection for the high street retailer, which drops on April 18.
“Rokh is at the forefront of a new wave of Korean designers whose conceptual-yet-wearable clothes are captivating fashion right now,” says Ann-Sofie Johansson, creative advisor and head of design womenswear at H&M. “We’re proud to present a curated edit of designer Rok Hwang’s adaptable wardrobe classics, and we can’t wait to see how our customers wear them.”
Born in South Korea, Hwang grew up in Austin, Texas, before moving to Nottingham as a teenager. A graduate of Central Saint Martins, under the influential eye of the late professor Louise Wilson, the designer went on to cut his teeth at Phoebe Philo’s Céline, Chloé and then Louis Vuitton, before starting his own label in 2016. LVMH’s Special Prize followed two years later.
This year’s H&M collaboration also places him at the end of a long line of influential design talent that has partnered with the high-street store – from Karl Lagerfeld to Isabel Marant, Comme des Garçons to Simone Rocha. To say he has been busy is an understatement.