Kolon Sport executive director Yoon Jae-eun Photo: Courtesy of Kolon Sport

Models display the latest collection from Kolon Sport. Photo: Courtesy of Kolon Sport

Nature has always been the biggest source of inspiration for the human race. Cyber-insect, techno-camping, neo-safari and digital ocean… these were the four design themes highlighted during a preview of South Korean outdoor giant Kolon Sport's Spring and Summer collection in Seoul on January 29.

During the event, titled Time to 15, models at Kolon's flagship store on Seoul's Cheongdam Fashion Street showcased the latest Kolon gear from outdoor shoes to jackets, marking a new beginning for this best-selling South Korean brand.

Time to 15

Cooperating with media artist Jin Qiluo, Kolon decorated the stage with numerous big and small screens to better show off its men's and women's fashion lines for the upcoming spring and summer season.

Kolon's executive director Yoon Jae-eun told the Global Times that the collection represents a brand new attempt by Kolon to combine function and fashion in its clothing.

According to Yoon, the four themes represented at the event were the inspiration of innovative outdoor gear designers. By modeling designs for slim cut outside apparel on an insect's eyes, joints and wings, cyber-insect is considered to be this season's biggest innovation when it comes to increasing visual impact through the combination of two types of shiny material.

The inspiration for techno-camping, which focuses on making use of functional fabric and innovative technology, comes directly from what designers imagine the leisurely lives of people in the 24th century will be like, while hunting in modern times provided the inspiration for the company's neo-safari theme, which uses rich natural colors from tan to khaki to brown.

A completely new theme for Kolon, digital ocean takes aim at capturing the natural curves of ocean waves, mountains and valleys through intelligent use of mesh, lightweight fabrics and fresh colors including peacock green, dark green and navy blue.

"Rich colors in nature helped create this new collection. Without them, these four themes would not be able to stand out," Yoon said.

He also explained that the contributions of the company's R&D teams were also important in creating the collection.

Thirty years ago, Kolon Sport established its own climbing school in order to better understand the actual needs of outdoor enthusiasts and improve designs.

"We are constantly talking to trainees to figure out what functions can be removed or how to make things more comfortable," he added. "The good news is that a similar climbing school will be set up in China at the end of this year."

Korean flavor in China

With South Korean TV dramas and entertainment shows widely welcomed in China, communication between the two countries in other areas has become closer than ever.

With its slogan "Your Best Way to Nature," one of the brand's three product series, Travel, is considered by many as being extremely suitable for China's increasing urban middle class. Compared with the company's Extreme and Trekking series, Travel has simpler designs and emphasizes the concept of combining urban life and nature.

"Some people don't care that much about the many functional aspects of the Extreme and Trekking series, but they do care about fashion and comfort," Yoon told the Global Times.

"The Chinese outdoor market is still in the beginning stage, but it is growing quite fast and differs from city to city, north to south. The northern market is more mature due to things like the weather and environment. Although it is still undergoing changes, I feel it will grow very steadily and healthy."