As Grunge gets pushed back to the forefront lately, many designers are attempting to modernize and put their own spins on the re-emerging trend. Among the whole host of streetwear creatives that did, Katie Chung was among the most successful. In her latest Fall 2019 Menswear collection for Wooyoungmi, she not only transported grunge style into the 21st century, she even managed to refine it a little. With precise tailoring and a good eye for clashing prints, she reinterpreted that once underground look into a more mainstream and approachable aesthetic, an even sportier version that plays into today’s athletic trends. See how her check suits and structured coats play well with the barrage of 90s-esque stripes and plaids, and how serious they look while still evoking that back-offish grunge attitude. A crisply cut black-and-yellow check suit was beautifully offset by a face-covering logo-ed bandana scarf—a fascinating convergence of upscale refinement with a grungy streetwise appeal. The sportswear was also quite majestic, with shapely puffer jackets disrupting the streamlined silhouettes. They added a whole new dimension to grunge without going back to that ‘homeless’ aesthetic. And what of the shimmering pleather pants? Insatiably cool! If a battle on who wins this new grunge game ensues, this Wooyoungmi line is a runaway winner!
Photo: Alessandro Lucioni / Gorunway.com
