The nature-inspired, New York-based fashion designer who’s shaking up the industry.
Ami Park was born in Seoul, Korea and later moved to New York to follow her dreams and develop her career in fashion. In 2016 she graduated from Parsons School of Design with a BFA in fashion design and began designing for private labels. Ami has worked for some of the biggest brands in the industry, including Alice & Olivia, which is a known favorite of Angelina Jolie and Anne Hathaway. She also spent some time working for Derrick Lam, where she was a key participant in the brand’s role in the SS15 NYFW runway. Today, the impressive young designer owns her own brand, collaborating with magazines, photographers, celebrities and holding exhibitions worldwide. In the summer of 2018 she even exhibited some of her designs in Paris during the SS18 Paris fashion week.
Earlier this year, Ami released her latest collection, MOLD. The remarkable pieces reflect the in-between, with garments deconstructed and disconnected, somehow appearing simultaneously delicate and sturdy. The extraordinary nature of Ami’s designs derives from the active engagement they solicit from the viewer. Although the garments look only partially put together by traditional standards, whether they are truly closer to completion or total disintegration is up to the viewer. Ami has received countless praise for her original, cutting-edge designs, and celebrity singer/songwriter Cory Wade chose a piece from the collection to wear in the music video for his song, “There For You.”
Ami’s new collection showcases her remarkable ability to evolve ordinary subjects into extraordinary, unique and engaging concepts for design. This profound talent is allowing Ami to take the world of fashion by storm, rising to the top while simultaneously causing a stir in the industry. Inspired by nature, and mold in particular, Ami worked with Parsons school of design alumni researchers to grow her own biological design medium, later using it to create printed textiles:
“I worked with naturally colored bacteria which secrete pigments that will be grown and printed onto fabrics, creating individual bio-textile pieces. Biomaterials and bio design are new, unknown and exciting concepts through which we can begin to appreciate the use of science in art and design.” – Ami Park
Infatuated with the shapes, colors and textures of the mold/fungus, Ami displays beautiful craftsmanship and provides the viewer with an unrivaled sense of romance and play. Ami’s thrilling success showcases her remarkable talent and distinguished eye for natural design, and her innovative style rivals some of the biggest names in the industry. Her latest achievements have left fashion enthusiasts with a yearning for more.
When 33 MAGAZINE caught up with Ami Park to learn more about her new collection, we found that she extends her curiosity to embroidery and textile design. She is also passionate about collaborating with other artists and designers with hand embroidery techniques. For more on Ami, visit her official website: http://www.ami-park.com
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