Etosha PaulFashion designer · Seoul / Kolkata
Graduate collection · 2024
01

Ladakh,
reimagined

A contemporary reimagining of Ladakh's traditional wear for fashion-forward, individualistic youth in a concrete, multicultural city. Five outfits, shown at Hongik Fashion Week, Seoul.

Model on the runway in a patchwork lycra crop top, hooded braid and a black quilted ball skirt striped with lime, pink and cyan tape
Illustration of Look 01: patchwork top and quilted ball skirt

Look 01 on the runway, Hongik Fashion Week, 1 November 2024 · Photo BENU

01 · Concept

The idea

Ladakh is a region in India located towards the north in the Himalayan mountains. The traditional wear of the region is very historical and still worn on special occasions even today.

The designs take inspiration from the traditional attire of Ladakh and its modern interpretation made by Ladakh's fashion designers. They try to capture the silhouette of the cultural wear, adding redefined youthful prints and colours, and utilitarian details like belts, ropes and harnesses.

Capture the silhouette of the cultural wear, then add youthful prints, colour and utility.
Moodboard: Ladakhi traditional dress, turquoise and coral jewellery, contemporary Ladakhi designers
Moodboard
Who it is for

Fashion-forward and individualistic youth in an urban, multicultural, concrete environment.

Market
Seoul, New York, Tokyo, London, Berlin; online for global streetwear
Age
16–30
Personality
Bold, expressive, creative
Sits beside
Lazy Oaf, Moncler, Billionaire Boys Club / Icecream, Ader Error
Development

Silhouette development

About ninety line-drawn silhouettes, exploring volume, layering and the Ladakhi goncha robe before any fabric was cut.

Sheet of silhouette sketches, page one
Sheet 1
Sheet of silhouette sketches, page two
Sheet 2
Sheet of silhouette sketches, page three
Sheet 3
Sheet of silhouette sketches, page four
Sheet 4
Process

Process

Muslin prototypes first, then fabric prototypes, then full outfits. The patchwork top for Look 03 was simulated in CLO3D before the final garment was constructed.

Calico toile of the harem pant on a mannequin
Harem pant toile, Hongik studio
Calico toile of the quilted ball skirt on a mannequin
Quilted skirt toile
Six CLO3D views of the hooded patchwork vest and harem pant on an avatar
3D explorations in CLO3D before final construction
Cut panels of pink, cyan and magenta lycra laid on the studio table
Patchwork lycra panels, cut
Look 01 on a mannequin in the studio: patchwork top and black quilted skirt
Look 01, full outfit prototype
Quilted cyan crop top with lime piping and neon straps on a mannequin
Look 02 top, fabric prototype
Six utility belts in black webbing with lime, pink and cyan straps
Utility belts, one per look
Composite sheet of the silhouette development sketches
Silhouette development
The looks

05 looks

Each look, from drawing to runway where the stages exist.

  1. Look 01

    Patchwork top and quilted ball skirt

    A patchwork lycra crop top under a hooded braid, worn with a black quilted ball skirt striped in lime, pink and cyan tape, chains and a utility belt. The skirt's volume comes from the goncha robe; the tape comes from the street.

    Patchwork lycra · Quilted nylon · Grosgrain tape · Chain · Webbing

    Illustration of Look 01
    Technical flats of the top and skirt, front and back
    Look 01 prototype on a mannequin
    Look 01 in the studio shoot
    Look 01 on the runway
    Look 01 seated, skirt spread
    Studio shoot
    Look 01 from the back
    Runway, back · BENU
    Look 01 close-up on the runway
    Runway · BENU
  2. Look 02

    Harness top and rope harem trousers

    A cyan quilted crop top piped in lime with a leather-and-webbing harness and a braided chain, over black harem trousers hung with rope and chain. The harness is the Ladakhi back-ornament, re-cut as utility.

    Quilted nylon · Lime webbing · Leather · Braided chain · Rope

    Illustration of Look 02
    Technical flats of the top and trousers
    Quilted crop top prototype on a mannequin
    Look 02 in the studio shoot
    Look 02 on the runway
    Harness detail
    Runway, detail · BENU
    Look 02 from the back with hood up
    Runway, back · BENU
    Close-up of the cyan quilted top, lime piping and braided chain
    Detail
  3. Look 03

    Hooded patchwork vest and harem pant

    A hooded, quilted patchwork vest with a matching harem pant and a lime belt bag. This is the look that went through every stage: sketch, flat, CLO3D simulation, cut panels, finished garment and runway.

    Patchwork lycra · Quilted nylon · Lime webbing

    Sheet of silhouette sketches including the hooded vest
    Illustration of the hooded patchwork vest and harem pant
    CLO3D simulation of the vest on an avatar, side view
    Cut patchwork lycra panels on the studio table
    Look 03 in the studio shoot, hood up
    Looks on the Hongik stage
    Technical flats of the vest and pant
    Technical flats
    CLO3D render, front
    CLO3D, front
    CLO3D render, back
    CLO3D, back
    Look 03 portrait
    Studio shoot
  4. Look 04

    Lime print puffer and patchwork trousers

    An oversized lime puffer printed with line drawings of Ladakh, with drop pockets, over a patchwork bodysuit and harem trousers. The volume of the goncha, the warmth of the Himalaya, the print of a sketchbook.

    Printed nylon · Down-fill quilting · Patchwork lycra

    Illustration of the lime puffer with patchwork trousers
    Technical flat of the puffer, front and back
    Calico toile of the puffer shape
    Look 04 in the studio shoot
    Illustration of the inner bodysuit with patchwork trousers
    Inner layer
    Technical flat of the trousers
    Trouser flats
    Look 04 seated pose
    Studio shoot
  5. Look 05

    Print puff-sleeve top and harness shorts

    A cropped puff-sleeve top in the lime Ladakh print with a pink harness, over black shorts banded in print. The lightest look in the collection and the most wearable.

    Printed nylon · Pink webbing · Cotton twill

    Illustration of the puff-sleeve top and harness shorts
    Technical flats of the top and harness
    Look 05 in the studio shoot
    Technical flat of the shorts
    Shorts flats
    Look 05, front
    Studio shoot
    Look 05, side
    Studio shoot
01 · The show

Hongik Fashion Week, Seoul

Five looks walked at Hongik Fashion Week on 1 November 2024, in the graduate show of the MA Fashion Design programme, Hongik University, Seoul.

Event
Hongik Fashion Week 2024
Date
1 November 2024
Looks
05
Photography
BENU
Runway

Five looks, one walk.

Scroll →
Look 01 walking: patchwork top, hooded braid, quilted taped ball skirt
01 Look 01 · BENU
Look 02 walking: harness crop top with cyan quilting and lime straps, black harem trousers with rope
02 Look 02 · BENU
Look 01 from behind, showing the harness back and the taped skirt
03 Look 01, back · BENU
Detail of Look 02: lime webbing, black braided chain, cyan quilted panels
04 Look 02, detail · BENU
Look 02 from behind, hood up
05 Look 02, back · BENU
Looks 01 and 02 crossing the stage under the Hongik Fashion Week set
06 On the stage · BENU
Two models walking together in the dark
07 Walking · BENU
The graduate show finale line-up on the runway
08 Finale · BENU
Credits
Design, pattern cutting, construction
Etosha Paul
Runway photography
BENU
Show
Hongik Fashion Week 2024, Hongik University, Seoul