Fashion - Bachelors

So Much Fun

trophy Awarded

So Much Fun is the quintessence of playfulness. The concept is derived from a whimsical story of a child who is asked to illustrate a collection focused around traditional menswear tailoring. As the child begins to draw, their unique interpretation of the adult world, excitable and distracted disposition, and their callow, clumsy hands coalesce to create shapes both abstract and familiar. Details are half drawn in forgetfulness, added, removed, and augmented in a naïve attempt to recall a man’s suit. So Much Fun utilises this idea of challenging and complementing existing fashion tropes with child-like elements. Playfulness is juxtaposed by the conventions of masculine tailoring, and whimsical design elements are made tangible through meticulous and prominent detailing.

Michael Shin

So Much fun

A houndstooth blazer is paired with a matching blazer skirt and a subtle black trouser. The cut-outs on the hems of the blazers reference the common shapes found on puzzle pieces. The austere palette of print and grey is counterbalanced by a bright peach rabbit-ear headpiece, much like how a child may intermittently bespeckle a page with small whimsical doodles.

A houndstooth blazer is interwoven into the shoulder seam of a navy peak lapelled herringbone blazer. The design is also paired with a matching houndstooth trouser, connected to a dark navy denim. The look is finished with a gathered white button up shirt. The holes found in the centre and on the collar of the shirt illustrate the forgetfulness of a child’s mind, with the gathers referencing scribbles of frustration in an attempt to remember.

A melting slime suit is paired with an oversized fuzzy flower brooch. This design is not only whimsical in its form, colour and cut; but its playfulness is subtly communicated through the silhouette’s continuity and unnoticeable start and end.

A melting slime suit is paired with an oversized fuzzy flower brooch. This design is not only whimsical in its form, colour and cut; but its playfulness is subtly communicated through the silhouette’s continuity and unnoticeable start and end.

A bright, colourful and fluffy giraffe lapel blazer is paired with a printed silk dress. The giraffe on the lapel is constructed of single strands of renewable and sustainable merino wool which has been hand felted using a single needle. A whimsical animal-placement/houndstooth print adorns the dress. The neckline of the dress is mirrored vertically below onto the hemline of the dress, and is in reference to an already started drawing turned upside down and restarted.

Michael Shin

Michael Shin, is a menswear fashion designer and founder of the brand K2JULY. Being born and raised in Australia, whilst being of Korean descent; cultural identity was a complicated obstacle from a young age, the name broken down stands for From Korea to July and refers to how the brand brings its Korean background and aesthetic styling to any location.