#CNILux Day Two: Steve J & Yoni P Talk K-Pop

Pushing boundaries and challenging convention is what modern fashion is all about; never more so than in Seoul right now, with two of the K-Pop movement's brightest stars Steve Jung and Yoni Pai - otherwise known as Steve J and Yoni P. But how did the Central Saint Martins and London College of Fashion graduates - and husband-and-wife duo - come to hold such a powerful position in the East? 

"When we got back to Korea after showing in London, many celebrities and pop stars became interested in our label as it allowed them to show their personalities through fashion," Jung told the Condé Nast International Luxury Conference. "At the beginning they were celebrities and we were designers, but then we became friends and we all started to hang out," chimed in Pai, "Communicating with this generation is so important for us, as is making noise in a good way. We have to open our eyes to youth culture - we need to think like we're in their shoes. We love to communicate to their world and they give inspiration back to us."

Pioneering talk - but they are pioneers in other, more business-minded ways too. The pair were among the first wave of designers to adopt the popular - if contentious - see-now, buy-now model at Seoul Fashion Week earlier this year.

"The fashion calendar is always so far away from what's happening now," said Jung. "When Burberry, Tom Ford and Vetements had announced their plans, and we heard that, we were surprised because we felt the same way," said Jung. 

"Korea is very quick to observe new technology and because of this upgrade in social channels, people have become more spontaneous," added Pai. "We broadcast our show this year in 360 degrees on Facebook, so everyone saw it at the same time - which was half-a-million people - so everyone felt like they were front row. People are now walking into our shops with photographs that they have printed out from online to buy it in store - and it's there!"

This switched-on business nous (they recently took on investment, so that they could concentrate solely on the creative side of things) is brilliantly in tune with their aesthetic, which is considered, technically sound, experimental and sometimes outrageous, as Suzy Menkes pointed out, something which Jung credits to this international education.

"I studied first in Korea, which gave me strong technical foundations," said Jung. "Over in London, I learnt how to be inspired by old things like art and culture, and how to incorporate those things into my designs. That gave me confidence. The most important thing also was that there I had classmates from all around the world, and having lots of cultures around me encouraged me to work hard. It was a priceless experience."

"I also remember Louise Wilson," he recalled of the late, great CSM professor. "She was a powerful and strong woman, and I remember right after my graduate fashion show, she came to me and said, 'Hey Steve, you've done really well, you're going to be a great designer later on,' and I always have these words in my heart." 

By Scarlett Conlon, reporting live from the Condé Nast International Luxury Conference in Seoul