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Frida Kahlo inspired Korean fashion designer Lie Sang-bong for his 40th anniversary collection
04 September 2026
For his 40th anniversary collection, Lie Sang-bong has chosen a Mexican artist whose work directly addressed suffering. The decision was motivated by a question that has plagued him throughout years of war and strife: How do people recover from the scars left by the past?
“War leaves wounds, and those wounds come back to individuals. Our own country fought a war and we are still talking about it today. If a war has already happened, the question becomes how we heal it,” the designer told The Korea Herald ahead of his most recent collection, titled "REBLOOM" which debuted on Sept 1 night at Dongdaemun Design Plaza on the first day of 2027 spring-summer Seoul Fashion Week.
About thirty years ago, Lie came across Frida in a book about the artist, and he has never forgotten her story. He kept not only Kahlo's portrayal of suffering but also the way that suffering changed throughout her creations. “We try to hide our wounds. She revealed hers, acknowledged them and healed through that. Her paintings were brutal in her early stages as a painter, but later she painted herself with flowers. That sequence became the structure of this collection” he said.
That progression from injuries to recovery was mirrored indeed in the runway.
The second quarter of the runway was printed with blue tears that turned into raindrops. The trench coat was divided into three sections and reassembled at the seams using safety pins in place of stitches. Little mirrors, reminiscent of the mirror Kahlo painted under, hung from the tops of clothing.
The collection's most optimistic imagery was presented at the end of the show with flower crowns and a long floral dress with fabric wrapped over the head.
Read the full article by The Korea Herald at the link below.
