2026

Design Awards Silver Winner - Haeone Son

Improv

Entrant

Haeone Son

Category

Clothing & Accessories - Menswear

Client's Name

Country / Region:

United States

I used to approach most things in life with a clear plan. But over time, I realized that outcomes often take unexpected turns, and sometimes intuition leads to stronger, more honest results than logic. This led me to jazz, where musicians follow a basic structure but express themselves freely through improvisation. Coming from a classical music background where every note and dynamic was decided in advance, jazz felt unfamiliar and exciting. It made me want to bring that sense of spontaneity into my design process.

Garment dyeing became a natural way to express this. The colors shift depending on the environment, and the stitch resist technique adds subtle, unpredictable changes to the fabric. In this collection, familiar garments are reimagined with slight distortions that reflect instinct and emotion. Through many trials, this process became a way for me to practice trusting my own intuition.

Credits

Sergey Kuchin
Photographer
Birago
Model
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