On the last day of the Seoul Fashion Week, Seongsu felt alive in a way I will never forget. The industrial charm of this neighborhood—its converted warehouses, creative studios, and neon-lit cafés—became the backdrop for a night that was more than fashion. At Neuromeka, Milan Loves Seoul 2025 unfolded its second day with a runway that brought together Italy and Korea in a dialogue of contrasts: strength and softness, intimacy and boldness, tradition, and innovation.
Hours later, under the same moon, the celebration continued at TAES, where music, laughter, and warmth carried us well past midnight.
Unforgettable Moments: Inside Milan Loves Seoul 2025 at Seoul Fashion Week
I had the privilege of standing at the very heart of it all as the red-carpet host, greeting the designers, exchanging words with the VIPs, and sharing in the anticipation that pulsed through every corner of the venue. From the anticipation outside Neuromeka, where fans screamed the names of their favorites, to the quiet backstage moments of designers fixing hems and calming nerves, I felt part of a living story—a story of passion, artistry, and human connection.
Francesca Cottone – “CTRL”
Francesca Cottone opened with her CTRL collection, born as a “deep breath between two worlds.” CTRL fused urban grit with precision tailoring, bringing together preppy influences, early 2000s nostalgia, and the raw pulse of contemporary life. Bold lines, fluid silhouettes, shifting tones, and strong detailing made the collection both personal and fearless.
Collaborations with Korean brands Finoacinque and Lesaut grounded CTRL in cross-cultural exchange.
On the red carpet, MONT embodied the collection in tailored suits that looked effortless yet commanding. CTRL was no longer just a design—it became a way of carrying oneself, confident and free.
Denisa Rad – “Chiaroscuro Bloom”
If Francesca gave us the rhythm of the city, Denisa Rad gave us the poetry of contrast. Chiaroscuro Bloom unfolded like a dream sequence, where shadows and light embraced rather than opposed each other.
The palette told a story: crisp whites like early sunlight on stone walls, deep blacks like the calm of dusk, buttery yellows warm as a morning wrapped in promise, and soft lilacs blooming with first light. The silhouettes played in the space between fragility and strength. Airy volumes and sculptural ruffles moved alongside cropped tailoring and structured bodices.
Her collaborations with Pipetta, Gitsam, and Pleatsmama highlighted not only beauty but also a commitment to sustainability and texture.
On the red carpet, I was transfixed when the “Squid Game” star Kim Joo-ryoung arrived in a white Denisa Rad creation. She was luminous—angelic in the truest sense of the word. We spoke briefly, her voice soft, her smile full of lightness. I’ve seen her embody ferocity on screen, but here she revealed a gentleness that silenced the noise around her. It was a reminder of how fashion can transform not only how we appear, but how we feel, even if just for one night.
Aëdor Studio – “AESSENZA”
Then came the moment when the air itself seemed to change. Aëdor Studio presented AESSENZA, a collection that was more than a presentation of garments—it was a statement on identity, absence, and the spaces between.
The clothes themselves were minimal, total black silhouettes that enveloped the body with precision. They whispered rather than shouted, leaving space for interpretation, for projection. But it was the concept of the runway that stunned the room.
Each model streamed the show live from their own device. Suddenly, the audience was not only observing but also inside the stride, seeing the show from the models’ perspectives. Screens lit up, cameras flashed, and the boundary between observer and participant dissolved. For a moment, fashion felt like it belonged to all of us, not just the privileged few in the front row.
Collaborations with Bootei and Nuosmiq reinforced the innovation, blending Italian craftsmanship with Korean creativity.
And then came the red-carpet explosion: One Pact, in their first-ever red-carpet appearance, arrived in Aëdor Studio designs styled with Bootei footwear. The reaction was instant and overwhelming. Social media erupted, hashtags trended, and by the time they finished their walk, their images had already traveled across the world. I stood beside them, and hearing the cheers, feeling the frenzy, realizing I was seeing a debut that would mark their history.
Marea – “Canovacci”
After such futuristic energy, Marea grounded us again with intimacy. Canovacci explored domestic ritual as language. Tablecloths, napkins, and tea towels—objects of the everyday—were displaced, reimagined, and transformed into garments.
The palette was deliberately restrained: white, red, and blue. Within that simplicity, there was room for play: erratic accents, out-of-register tones that disrupted harmony just enough to make it alive. The textures—jacquards, kitchen checks, embroidered details—carried the warmth of kitchens, tables, and conversations.
Collaborations with Nuosmiq and Pleatsmama reinforced the theme of sustainability while elevating the story of intimacy turned spectacle. Watching Canovacci, I remembered my own family table in Italy, the laughter, the smell of coffee, the gelato we’d share on summer evenings. Fashion has the power to transport, and Marea’s runway carried me straight back to those memories.
Verdeacqua – “IMMERSIONE”
The finale belonged to Verdeacqua, the artistic identity of Sicilian painter Giulia Guajana. IMMERSIONE was a dive into the Mediterranean itself. Swimsuits painted like watercolors evoked the seabeds of Sicily, where coral, seaweed, and waves became brushstrokes on fabric.
Styled in collaboration with StripTags, Bombo Studio, and Gin Portofino, the collection shimmered with delicate blues and greens, transporting us to Portofino’s beaches. I could almost feel the salt air, the sound of waves against the rocks, the warmth of sunlight after a swim.
As the last model walked, the audience exhaled in unison. It felt like the close of a perfect summer day.
The Red Carpet
The runway may have told stories in fabric, but the red carpet told its own in presence and personality.
- Theo Jang, Yujin, and Dongho of Single’s Inferno 4 brought playful energy, their excitement mirrored by the fans lining the entrance.
- Henny, Gunwoo, Ki Hyunwoo, and Jung Yujin, the special models, spoke with me before the show, their joy genuine, their nerves softened by pride. They walked not only for themselves but for the stories of the designers they represented.
- Kim Jooryoung, angelic and serene, became a vision in white.
- MONT, refined in Cottone’s suits, carried the elegance of timeless tailoring, and
- One Pact, whose debut became the night’s social media storm, redefined what it means to arrive.
Later, at TAES, I spotted familiar faces—Actor Kim Min, Pasin from “A Shop for Killers,” and Tony Hong—joining the celebration. They may have missed the runway, but their presence at the party underscored that Milan Loves Seoul was as much about community as it was about fashion.
The After Party at TAES
If Neuromeka was the heartbeat, TAES was the exhale. The after-party pulsed with warmth—music loud enough to shake the floorboards, laughter spilling from every corner, glasses raised in celebration.
Designers and models danced freely, celebrities mingled without distance, and fans waited outside for a glimpse, unwilling to let go of the night. For me, TAES was the moment when barriers disappeared. Everyone was simply human, celebrating the effort and emotion that had gone into creating something unforgettable.
The Team Behind the Dream
No runway comes alive without the people behind it. At Milan Loves Seoul 2025, those people deserve to be named.
- Marcella De Simone and Ylenia Basagni, whose leadership and vision carried the event, weaving together the diplomacy of international collaboration with the passion of artistry.
- Matteo Pandolfi and Matteo Niero, who directed the runway with command and heart, turning logistics into performance.
- Elite Model Agency, which provided not only extraordinary talent but also operational support, ensuring the show moved with precision, and
- The entire Milan Loves Seoul team, whose tireless dedication brought once again to life what could have still been only a dream.
Teamwork is often invisible, but here it was the foundation that made everything possible. This was proof that teamwork truly makes dreams work.
Reflection
When I finally stepped into the quiet streets of Seongsu in the early hours, exhaustion pressed into my bones, but so did gratitude.
I thought of Francesca Cottone’s CTRL, teaching us that elegance can be fearless, and how Denisa Rad’s Chiaroscuro Bloom, reminding us that beauty thrives in contrast. Then, I remembered how Aëdor Studio’s AESSENZA, proving that innovation can alter perspective, and Marea’s Canovacci, turning intimacy into spectacle. Finally, Verdeacqua’s IMMERSIONE, carrying me back to Portofino—to summers of gelato, sea air, and laughter that still echo in my memory.
I thought of the people, too. Kim Joor-young glowing in white, MONT carrying timeless suits with ease, One Pact igniting their moment of debut, the models who smiled with me before the show, and the celebrities who joined us later at TAES.
But I thought of the team behind the curtain, who carried this night into existence.
Milan Loves Seoul 2025 was not just a fashion event. It was a reminder that fashion is identity, connection, and memory stitched together. That a runway can be a bridge, and a red carpet can be a stage where hearts meet.
On September 7th in Seongsu, fashion spoke in voices both bold and tender. And its echo will remain long after the lights have dimmed.
In the end, it is never just fashion—it is the story we carry home in our hearts.
Connect with the author Maggie A. R. on LinkedIn
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