Though she travels to Korea yearly, Jenni Lee’s newest go to was additional express. The founder and designer behind sock and loungewear model Comme Si travelled to Seoul—alongside alongside along with her husband and toddler in tow—to have satisfying and showcase her collaboration with USM Modular Furnishings. Impressed by customary Korean hanok building, the gathering includes express mannequin loungewear and eight custom-designed furnishings objects, just some of which incorporate Comme Si’s signature textiles. Beneath, Lee walks us by way of her journey, from the shock merchandise she picked as so much as a result of the ‘80s-themed restaurant she typically generally known as her “favourite.”
Pricey ITG,
I’m writing to you after spending 10 days in Korea. I hold in LA, nonetheless as a child, I went there each summer season season to go to household. This time spherical, I went to showcase my {{{custom}}} furnishings assortment for USM in Seoul at 10 Corso Como. USM makes loads of the very best modular furnishings spherical (if I do say so myself). My assortment was impressed by Korean architects and conventional hanok designs, after which I personalised the objects even additional through the use of linen from the corporate I based, Comme Si. We debuted the furnishings assortment in New York, however it certainly completely made quite a few sense to showcase it in Korea, too. So when the likelihood took place, my husband and I made a decision to make the most of the journey to introduce the nation to our toddler.
We considerably deliberate a daytime flight on account of we didn’t wish to hazard our son not sleeping on a red-eye and disturbing all individuals else. The flight was a whopping 13.5 hours, nonetheless we landed all through the evening time. That’s truly a superb trick for jet lag on one of many easiest methods there on account of we went to mattress as quickly on account of the aircraft landed, after which we have got been able to go the subsequent day. Coming as soon as extra is a singular story although…
Before I journey, I often do my nighttime skincare routine whatever the time on account of I do notice it’s going to be additional dry on the aircraft. The primary star is Aestura’s Atobarrier 365 cream. It’s been the primary winter cream in Korea for six years straight. I bought it on my final journey to Korea truly. It’s wonderful. And I’ve significantly exhausting case bundle that I at all times take with me. It has Beekeeper’s Naturals propolis throat spray so that you just simply don’t get sick, Laneige lip balm, Tamburins hand lotion, Purell, and Huxley face mist. I furthermore had my Inconceivable issue about Joseon Low cost Picture voltaic Aqua-Updated SPF, Sulwhasoo Clarifying Masks, Medicube, and Aestura Atobarrier 365 Hydro Cera-HA Ampoule with me.
We stayed all through the Yongsan district, which is close to downtown Seoul, for the primary half of the journey. It’s good on account of it has a direct path to the Mount Namsan cross and forest. There’s significantly infant’s forest, too. After a handful of days we moved over to the Grand Intercontinental Parnas Resort all through the Gangnam home on account of we wished to be close to 10 Corso Como. The lodge is definitely associated to the COEX Mall—well-known for its huge library and aquarium—so you may go instantly from the lodge to the Hyundai division retailer inside. In Korea, malls have every little issue from groceries to clothes. Moreover they’ve a meals court docket docket docket and correct environment friendly consuming consuming areas. You’d spend the whole day in them within the occasion you happen to wished to.
In fact the shock shopping for in Seoul was next-level. There have been so many good merchandise that I acquired overwhelmed. Rejuran’s face and neck cream is completely well-liked appropriate now. It has salmon sperm DNA, which individuals have been injecting into their pores and pores and pores and skin, too. Really, after I went to on the very least one pharmacy, the pharmacist was giant blunt and instructed me that it isn’t going to magically change my pores and pores and pores and skin. ‘It’s merely one totally different cream,’ he instructed me. I ended up exhibiting him further merchandise and he’d inform me inside the event that they have been price it or not. I did purchase just some bottles of pharmaceutical D-Panthenol’s diaper rash cream. Much like the Aestura moisturizer, it’s actually good for dry or chapped pores and pores and pores and skin. And there was fairly a bit at Olive Youthful, a properly being and shock retailer, too. I acquired a bunch of lip merchandise from Hince and a cushion basis from Fwee for my mother.
I acquired some facial laser remedies appropriate after I acquired to Korea. Since I had the Corso Como launch, I couldn’t do one factor that was going to depart my face uncooked or unseemly, nonetheless I acquired Onda and Titanium. They objective express layers of the dermis to tighten and elevate. You’re imagined to do them in repetition for the proper outcomes, nonetheless I solely had time to get them carried out two conditions. They instructed me I’d see a distinction about two weeks later and that was undoubtedly the case. I merely regarded refreshed and brighter.
We ate fairly a bit in the course of the journey. We went to quite a few hole-in-the-walls. I beloved how the consuming areas didn’t have huge menus, merely six or seven gadgets which have been all wonderful. My favourite was Nanpo, this ‘80s-themed restaurant. I took my mother with my son, and she or he saved commenting how nostalgic the meals was. Oh, and I used to be able to strive Ashotchu, a preferred drink that has a shot of espresso with significantly little little little bit of iced peach tea. The mixture of the sweetness from the tea and the bitterness from the espresso was so yummy.
I attempt to go to Korea fairly ceaselessly, and it’s at all times fascinating to see how fairly a bit factors change, even all through the span of a yr. The retail surroundings is so progressive and it strikes so shortly, so for me, it was actually fulfilling to see of us in a singular market react to Comme Si and the exhibit regular. I didn’t develop up in Korea—I solely visited—nonetheless I’ve a love for the standard building and translating that into the furnishings and having individuals who hold there say that my perspective is a current interpretation was actually, actually wonderful.
Love,
Jenni Lee
—As instructed to Daise Bedolla
Footage courtesy of Jenni Lee and Comme Si