BEYOND THE BORDER: EENK

THE KOREAN LABEL IS PROLIFIC, BUT ALWAYS FOCUSED, COMBINING INTELLECTUAL RIGOR WITH ELEGANT DESIGN

By Morgan Becker

Lee Hyemee designs without boundaries—and through it all, maintains a razor-sharp point of view. This isn’t an easy feat in the fashion world, operating at its breakneck pace, always in search of what’s next. EENK, Hyemee’s Seoul-headquartered label, pulls together interests across womenswear, menswear, fabric design, accessories, lifestyle objects, and outliers like traditional artwork and literature. The Letter Project is the embodiment of that breadth: a collection that unfolds in alphabetical order (B for Beanie, H for Handbag), at each step offering EENK’s interpretation of a classic garment or accessory—a literal take on the construction of design vocabulary.

Little by little, they’ve built a devoted audience—growing the atelier, scaling up production, collaborating across mediums, and showing at Paris Fashion Week. On paper, the clothes stand out for their material heft and elegant silhouettes (low-hanging hems, high collars, boxy shoulders, lots of draping, that just-oversized-enough fit). But Hyemee emphasizes, above all, EENK’s prioritization of functionality. “I see details like emotions,” she says. “The hidden constructions, the cuts that consider the body’s structure, and the subtle touches that give the wearer quiet confidence and ease—these are the feelings we wish to bestow upon the wearer.”

Beyond the Border is a series spotlighting international designers—crossing not just physical boundaries, but also creative ones. It harnesses the power of AI to set designs in motion, photographed traditionally, then animated for the online realm.

MORGAN BECKER: How would you describe the fashion scene in Seoul, and how does EENK fit into the mix?

LEE HYEMEE: The Seoul fashion scene is defined by constant flux, nimbleness, and an energy both experimental and independent. In this dynamic city, where tradition collides with innovation, a new generation of creators emerges—not only responding to global trends but also crafting a language. EENK marches to its own beat, placing value on accumulation and documentation over fleeting trends. Especially through our Letter Project, we’ve built our own narrative and sensibility. To us, Seoul is not just a place of production or consumption; it’s a stepping stone to documentation and a vital stage to mirror our universe. We’re translating our aesthetic into a global language.

MB: You’ve finished one round of The Letter Project. How do you think it’ll evolve going forward?

LH: The Letter Project is EENK’s way of observing and interpreting the world—a system recording our design eras. Completing the alphabet from A to Z wasn’t just a series of themed collections; it was a journey of building and embodying the brand’s universe. Now that we’ve finished the first cycle, what matters most isn’t simply that we’ve completed the alphabet, but that we’ve created a language of our own. We’re stepping into diversifying our lines and further defining our culture. Beyond our ready-to-wear collections, we’re expanding into lifestyle objects, art collaborations, and spatial concepts. Ultimately, we hope EENK evolves into a brand that doesn’t just sell products, but inspires a way of living. The Letter Project was the foundation.

MB: You started out as an accessories brand; what was the biggest challenge, transitioning to RTW collections?

LH: EENK did not begin as a full-defined brand, but rather a quiet project—one that grew slowly, shaped by process and instinct. Accessories was the purest medium through which to explore form, texture, and the brand’s symbolic language. As our narrative deepened and the scope of our imagination expanded, the transition into RTW was natural. Our greatest challenge was staying rooted—holding our voice steady as collection by collection. RTW is a far more complex process, involving countless decisions, adjustments, and interactions with the wearer. We had to find harmony between technical skill and artistry across every dimension—from textiles, pattern-making, and tailoring to fit and production.

MB: For your last collection, you collaborated with Russian artist Nina Koltchitskaia. Why did the partnership feel right for the brand?

LH: Collaborating with Nina was a meaningful experience that got us to reflect on the balance between idealism and reality. She blurs the boundaries between painting, photography, and collage, turning her emotions into visual poetry—a process that, to me, mirrors the way EENK translates collections into visuals. Her brushstrokes reminded me of traditional Eastern landscape paintings, which was the pivotal reason to collaborate. For this project, we explored Korea’s traditional Obangsaek color palette, crafting a visual language where Eastern and Western aesthetics harmonized. We’ve always been interested in how our sensibilities interact with an outside gaze. The collaboration became an exploration of artistic dialogue.

MB: The clothes feel modern, but also practical and functional. What design elements do you feel you prioritize?

LH: When I design, I prioritize the balance between silhouette, meaning, and functionality, with refined practicality at the core. EENK’s pieces are designed to move and breathe with the wearer in everyday life—leaving an impression that lingers in their attitude and memory. Modernity and functionality are not in conflict. They are part of the design language, sharpening the sensibilities we want to convey. From a garment’s silhouette to the density of the fabric to the way it moves, every detail is calibrated and deliberate.

Personally, I see details like emotions. The hidden constructions, the cuts that consider the body’s structure, and the subtle touches that give the wearer quiet confidence and ease—these are the feelings EENK wishes to bestow upon the wearer. Ultimately, what matters is not how it looks, but how it exists.

MB: What’s the most important lesson you’ve learned about the fashion industry?

LH: Fashion is an industry that must constantly redefine itself, yet it can only be sustainable when a designer stays true to their own perspective and aesthetic. What this has taught me is that direction outweighs speed, and that every creative act is based on attitude. Behind the dazzling stage, there’s a world of endless decisions, adjustments, and labor. In that world—as someone leading a brand—you can not survive with taste alone. It’s essential to keep learning and evolving. The most profound lessons always come from collaboration; neither garment nor brand can be created by one person alone. Trust and faith within the team, the will to grow together, and the ability to respect different sensibilities under a shared vision—in the end, I’ve come to understand that fashion is not merely about making clothes.

MB: How’d you decide to show at Paris Fashion Week versus other cities?

LH: Paris was a meaningful choice for EENK, not simply because it is one of the world’s four major Fashion Weeks. It’s also a stage where the most complex and refined perspectives gather. In Paris, the question goes beyond whether clothes are trendy; there’s a fundamental inquiry into brands’ attitudes, aesthetics, and language. Paris was the place where EENK’s narrative could be interpreted most convincingly. Also, it holds both the weight of tradition and the edge of radical experimentation.

MB: What’s the place in Seoul that inspires you the most?

LH: There are countless inspiring places in Seoul, but where I spend the most time, and draw the deepest inspiration, is ultimately our office and atelier. Beyond a workspace, it’s a living ground where daily conversations, observations, creative tensions, persuasions, and experiments accumulate. The garment that emerges finds its own sense of purpose and resonance here. In a city as vast as Seoul, it’s within small spaces that we quietly shape our own world.

MB: Do you have a muse?

LH: For EENK, the muse is more about a certain attitude. It’s someone with a quiet sense of conviction, who follows texture over speed, and [is attracted to] an open ending over a closed story. A muse can change with the times and might be anonymous. Sometimes it’s a silhouette of my colleague in the studio, a stranger on the street. What I dream of is a relationship where the wearer’s personal story fits with the garment, without force, without pretense.

MB: Where do you hope to take your label from here?

LH: EENK has built its identity and sensibility letter by letter, story by story. Now, we’re ready to start a broader conversation on the global stage. Paris Fashion Week, Pitti Uomo, and our collaboration with LuisaViaRoma have shown us what’s possible—that our philosophy and aesthetics can be communicated beyond borders. Beyond expanding distribution, we want to expand EENK through meaningful cultural exchange. The journey will be full of challenges, but I believe, through that process, we will grow stronger, more honest, more true, more firm.