The Gen Z designer who turned a viral Instagram moment into a business

“Miss Sohee was actually my Instagram handle before it became my brand name,” says Seoul-born designer Sohee Park. Indeed, the story of Miss Sohee sounds like a very Gen Z fashion fairy tale. A lockdown-era graduate of Central Saint Martins in London, Park never got to do her final end-of-year fashion show in 2020. Instead, she released a set of images online of the iridescent, ombre-hued gowns that made up her first collection, which quickly captured the imagination of fashion folk. That initial set of looks got featured on the cover of Love magazine, in editorials for W, Tatler, and Vogue editions around the world, even in a shoot featuring Bella Hadid. Then, Miley Cyrus chose a confection-like pink and lime-gold gown from Park for an appearance on The Graham Norton Show. This was followed by Cardi B, Gemma Chan, and most recently, Anya Taylor-Joy. And all through, the name Miss Sohee has stuck.

Park is part of a new guard of designers—along with names like Tomo Koizumi, Ganni, Harri, and Peter Do—who have catapulted to fame thanks to Instagram. “It just naturally put me in a situation where I had to launch my brand,” she says from her studio in London. But unlike other 28 year olds, she chose to capitalise on that fast-burning virality to enter the slow, rarefied world of haute couture. “I was always in love with the process of making, and with couture, it’s almost like being a sculptor. You’re following these traditions and techniques that have been passed down generations, but since I’m young, I’m able to look at things with a fresh eye and think outside the box.”

An avid sketcher who grew up watching her mother illustrate children’s books, Park infuses elements of her South Korean heritage into her lavish designs. The results include a collection inspired by underwater pearl divers from the island of Jeju, their wetsuits, and of course, the shellfish that they dive for (fall/winter 2021); bright colours that reference hanbok, Korean national clothing (spring/summer 2023), and sparkling embroidered motifs such as peonies, tigers, and waves that are integral to the island nation’s visual culture, and recur as leitmotif throughout her collections. Given her penchant for objects with a history, Park’s mood board is peppered with images of 16th-century botanical paintings, mother-of-pearl jewellery boxes, carved wooden fans, and Victorian-era lace. “My grandmother used to embroider, so I have a big embroidery collection—some of it by her and some that I’ve collected from antique shops,” Park reveals. “Growing up in Korea, I was surrounded by these beautiful things, but it was only later that I realised their value. By translating them through my lens and into my designs, I’m able to stay modern.”

Although her label is young, Park has managed to gather a formidable group of mentors. While studying at CSM, she interned with Marc Jacobs (“It was like an arts and crafts studio”) and in 2022, she scored the support of Italian fashion house Dolce & Gabbana (“It was like being a part of one big family”), who helped her with resources, know-how, and even a show venue in Milan. To better navigate the world of couture, Park has also built an experienced, tight-knit team. “There are artisans with over 20 years of experience in my atelier and I’m so grateful to have the chance to work with them,” she says. Currently the team is about 25 people, as well as her rabbit, Moongchi (“His name means ’fluff ball’ in Korean and he’s a really wise old guy”). 

Park believes “the relationship between a couture designer and their client is really intimate. You learn about the things that are important to them, you’re usually part of a really significant moment in their life, it’s a process of collaboration.” Earlier this year, Isha Ambani chose a custom look by Miss Sohee for her brother’s pre-wedding celebrations in Jamnagar. The images of this look were shared, reshared, and discussed the world over. “We only sell a look once in a country, so I was so pleased that my favourite one went to Isha,” says Park. “The original look was a dress, but she wanted to give it an Indian twist so we turned it into a top and a skirt along with adding more embroidery details and figuring out the silhouette most suited to her. I really didn’t expect to wake up one morning to see those beautiful images of her all over the internet.” 

Despite all the chatter online, what makes Park’s ascent so interesting is that she’s choosing to work at her own pace. In a system where profit margins and bottom lines are the ultimate measure of success, the designer has chosen to release one collection a year, to grow her team slowly, mindfully. She says, “I have big ambitions and I want to create my own world, become, say, the UK’s biggest couture house, and expand into things like shoes and bags. But I also want everything to be perfect and I want to work with the best people in this field. So it will take its time.”