The soft poetry of flower was given a new lease of life at Lie Sang Bong. Developed as a stylized stencil print, “Rose of Sharon” proposed a sophisticated wardrobe where an outstanding structure was paramount, and where more fashion-forward elements are introduced to refine the identity. In fact, the view is just as interesting from the back and sides as it is from the front. To wit, the oft-maligned skort here is smartly tailored shorts from the front, and a knee-length skirt from the back. Sheer panels, or laser-cut patterns, lighten an impression of stiffness in A-line coats.

Crucial to understanding this brand – describing it as a house would be too partial, considering the breadth of activities that the designer does– is the incredible variety of styles that can be experienced in a very partial manner in the runway. Lie Sang Bong doesn’t speak to a particular kind of woman; rather, it’s the declination of an idea in as many different ways as there are moments and profiles. This is commercial at its very best: a firm idea, good design and enough variety provided to fulfill any needs. (Full disclosure, I’ve visited their commercial showroom on several occasions and gotten the full monty on how varied the lineup gets at Lie Sang Bong).

And it’s evident with the soft launch of their younger line Lie three seasons ago that Lie Sang Bong is positioning itself smartly in a cluttered ready-to-wear market. Its roots in Korea are never far and from it, it draws identifying traits; but the erstwhile focus on its homeland is fading in favor of a cosmopolitan feel that gives it a competitive edge in the race ahead.