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This Season, the Runway Goes Further Beyond DDP
When you think of Seoul Fashion Week, the first image that probably comes to mind is the Dongdaemun Design Plaza — DDP, with its curving silver facade. For its 25th anniversary, though, “2026 S/S Seoul Fashion Week” is keeping that familiar center while also expanding the stage across the city. The event runs September 1 through 7, at DDP and at venues around Seoul. This isn’t just a matter of relocating a few shows — it’s closer to a decision to use Seoul’s own range of moods and textures as part of the collections themselves.
Opening this season is Andersson Bell, which will present its 2026 spring/summer collection, titled “SOFT CLASH,” on Deoksugung-gil on September 1. Deoksugung-gil — the street that runs alongside the stone walls of Deoksugung Palace, where old palace walls meet downtown buildings — is a spot most first-time visitors to Seoul end up walking through at some point. Once it becomes the setting for a runway show, a street that’s usually just part of an afternoon stroll turns into a runway that carries both the brand’s colors and the city’s own memory.
Andersson Bell’s ‘Soft Clash’ Fits Seoul’s Scenery Perfectly
“SOFT CLASH” is a title that, quite literally, asks you to hold softness and collision in your head at the same time. Andersson Bell has said the collection draws on the color-field paintings of American artist Mark Rothko, along with the twisted, off-kilter attitude of 1990s musicians PJ Harvey and Jarvis Cocker. Expect strong color with blurred boundaries, and a mix of romantic and slightly crooked sensibilities sitting side by side. If you’re already a fan of Andersson Bell’s signature mix-and-match style, this show looks like a chance to see the brand push that combination further than before.
The show also brings in people who’ve worked with major global luxury houses. Stylist Robbie Spencer, who has worked with Bottega Veneta and Gucci among others, joins alongside hair artist Marie Ohashi and makeup artist Jose Carlos Gonzalez. That said, having well-known international staff on board doesn’t mean Seoul’s scenery is being used as mere decoration. Deoksugung-gil’s low stone walls, the trees lining the street, and the everyday rhythm of cars and pedestrians moving through downtown can all shape the show’s lighting, music, and the way the clothes move.
Seoul’s Landmarks Aren’t Just Backdrops — They Become Fashion’s Language
Beyond Deoksugung-gil, this Seoul Fashion Week’s programming also extends to the Culture Station Seoul 284 oil depot site (Mullae Culture Reserve Base), Heungcheonsa Temple, the Mondrian Hotel, and DDP’s Art Hall. Twenty-seven domestic designer brands are participating — 18 with runway shows and 9 with presentations. You’ll also find opportunities to meet visitors and buyers at DDP Design Lab, the EQL flagship store in Seongsu-dong, and individual designer showrooms.
Location has become more central to fashion weeks in recent years, and it’s not just because certain spots photograph well. A collection isn’t only about the clothes — it’s also a way for a brand to show what culture it wants to connect itself to. The quiet of a temple, the structure of a public art space, the artificial glow of a hotel, or the futuristic architecture of Dongdaemun can make the exact same garment read completely differently. Rather than describing this as “the first show ever held outside DDP,” the more accurate way to understand it is that Seoul Fashion Week is expanding its stage outward from a DDP base into multiple corners of the city.
Berlin Showroom and AI Models: Fashion Week’s Audience Is Growing Too
The international exchange programming is also worth paying attention to. “Berlin Showroom,” the official showroom of Berlin Fashion Week, is joining Seoul Fashion Week for the first time. Twelve promising brands selected in Berlin will present their collections in Korea for the first time on September 2 and 3, at the MCM showroom in Gangnam. Inviting overseas brands isn’t simply about showing more clothes — it’s a point of contact where Seoul buyers, consumers, and domestic designers can compare different price points, materials, and styling approaches side by side.
AI-generated video is another part of the 25th anniversary programming. Footage featuring 100% AI-generated models wearing collections from Korean designers, set against Seoul backdrops like its royal palaces, the Han River, N Seoul Tower, and DDP, will be shown on Seoul Fashion Week’s YouTube channel, on digital billboards around the city, and in subway stations. Here’s a distinction worth keeping in mind: the AI-generated model footage isn’t meant to replace the actual runway — it’s a digital campaign designed to let you experience fashion across a wider stretch of the city. The actual fabric, construction, and movement of the clothes are still something you can only judge accurately in person.
If This Is Your First Time, Plan Your Route Before You Plan Which Show to See
Seoul Fashion Week isn’t only an industry event — it also runs programming the public can take part in. At DDP’s Eoulim Square, you’ll find a 25th anniversary photo booth, styling experiences, and brand collaboration events, while an exhibit combining AI, lighting, and sound is planned for an unused space near Sindang Station. Some of the shows held at DDP are open to public applications through Seoul Fashion Week’s official Instagram, via a ticket giveaway event. If there’s a brand you’re curious about, it’s worth checking the show’s date, location, and ticket application details ahead of time.
If this is your first time attending, it’s more practical to pick one brand and one location to enjoy at a relaxed pace, rather than trying to plan around catching several shows in a single spot. If you go to the Deoksugung-gil show, it’s worth walking the nearby art museums and Jeongdong-gil afterward. If you choose DDP’s programming instead, pairing it with the exhibitions and design shops there makes for a fuller day. The point of the 25th anniversary Seoul Fashion Week isn’t building one bigger venue. It’s giving you the chance to see, firsthand, how fashion lets you read Seoul’s different neighborhoods and landscapes in a new way.
Source: Seoul Metropolitan Government Economic Policy Office, “2026 S/S Seoul Fashion Week Marks Its 25th Anniversary”; The Kyunghyang Shinmun, August 18, 2025.
