By Honorary Reporter Gabriela Pimenta from Brazil

Images and photos = Gabriela Pimenta

In 2015, I entered a fashion competition to promote Korean culture in Brazil, more specifically Hanbok (traditional Korean attire). The Korean Fashion Brazil Cultural Contest was promoted by the K-pop Station and the Korean Education Center, sponsored by the Korean Foundation for International Cultural Exchange and supported by the Sao Paulo Secretariat of Culture.

At the time, Korean fashion was not nearly as well known as Hallyu, whose popularity was growing in Brazil. Contestants had to design their own Hanbok outfits under the following themes: Hanbok resources, Hangeul and Korean colors. The outfits needed to be original and modern versions of Hanbok. The contest was open to fashion professionals, students and aficionados. Though I had no training in fashion, I'd always liked the sector and read several fashion websites and magazines. So I decided to enter the competition and design modern Hanbok inspired by the music video costumes of famous K-pop groups.

My design sketches

I sent my drawings to the contest organizers via email, and was selected for entry. The organizers provided money for contestants to buy materials like fabrics and buttons and pay a seamstress. Because traditional Korean fashion was not well known in Brazil, it was difficult to find someone who could make what I needed. Until I got recommendations from a contest organizer staff, I looked for two seamstresses.

The purpose of the contest was to select the best Hanbok embodying both the traditional and the new.

I twice considered quitting the contest because of such difficulty, but several people persuaded me not to. The event's parade in late October showed more than 20 contestants exhibiting their entries to the crowd and fashion judges. I had my outfits made on the day of the show and was thus really nervous. Several competitors were also fashion pros, and all the models were beautiful and creative. I helped with the event's preparation before the show and the makeup and hair of my friends who modeled. I felt like I was participating in Seoul Fashion Week.

Models wear my designs at the contest.

Despite being an amateur, I was thrilled to win second place after enduring so many obstacles. Creating my own Hanbok outfits with a touch of modernity and from the perspective of someone of a different culture was a great experience, not to mention being runner-up. 

Winning second place at the contest was a huge thrill for me.

After the contest, I started to research more about Korean fashion, both traditional and modern, and follow makeup artists on YouTube and the Instagram profiles of modern Hanbok designers. Thanks to the Hallyu boom, Korean fashion is in vogue with the Brazilian public and many want to try on Hanbok at least once, either to take pictures or learn about Korean history.

Maybe I'll design new looks for Hanbok and participate in another fashion contest, or even post my works on social media.

enny0611@korea.kr

*This article is written by a Korea.net Honorary Reporter. Our group of Honorary Reporters are from all around the world, and they share with Korea.net their love and passion for all things Korean.