Rejina Pyo on running an independent fashion brand

So I was working as a fashion designer in Korea where I'm originally from, and I just had always had this longing for a bigger world in a way. And then every time I read something in the magazine, everyone graduated from Saint Martin's MA with Louise Wilson at the time. So I was so curious about it, and I was lucky enough to study there. And I think I always had this fascination about brands—you know, when you're a teenager you obsess with some fashion brand, and it holds so much meaning for people. Let's say like a BMW, it's three letters and how does it mean so much to people and what they associate with? That always fascinated me. And then always another side of me—like a legacy, but not in a fancy way. I guess it's like a human instinct that you want to leave something, that you existed once in the world. What have you done? So one day I wanted to do my own brand at some point, but I had no plan of it. And after Saint Martins, I worked for various designers more because they were very different scale to the Korean company that I was working with. So you kind of get both sides: conglomerate and the smaller studio. And then I was awarded for this Han Nefkens fashion award, a great art collector and the Boijmans Museum in Netherlands. So I was, I guess, lucky to have something to start my own brand. I'm not coming from a business background in any way. I always work with my feelings and instinct. It's very not strategic. So I think I learned a lot in the hard way, making mistakes. And I think British fashion at the time was very daunting for me because it was all about maximalism, print, and you know, more is more. And looking at that, I felt like I have no space for what I believe in or what I'm about. But I think one thing you learn when you're doing MA—Louise said, you do what you do and do it well, and there will be always a place for it. And I think it is so true. Time comes around and world changes. There's no way that I can change myself to be gothic punk or anything like that. So I guess I was lucky in a way. And then when I wanted to do my own brand, at that time it was full of either luxury brands or high street—there's nothing in between. And whenever I spoke to people, they wanted something that they could cherish for longer but not able to pay for an arm and a leg on a coat or something like that. So it all started very much from my heart—what I wanted and desired and how I could achieve that, but minus a business sense in that.

Yeah, I mean when you're young you don't really realize what your aesthetic is. But my mom was a huge influence to me, and she would dress me in like a dark chocolate linen dress to school when I was like ten or something. And kids would be like, 'Are you wearing your mom's dress or something?' I was always so different, and at that time, 'Why can't I just wear like a pink nylon jacket?'—you know, you'd be so upset. But I think that really fed me to be different and stand for my own aesthetic. Obviously, coming from Korea to London when you're grown up, and you were like, 'Oh, maybe this is how it needs to be.' And there was maybe a time that you're unsure to integrate into a different world. But I think that kind of worked as a strength in a way—that I could bring something from the other side of the world that became more universal and global in a way.

Yeah, I think I still love that coat. I think you can relate to like Ellsworth Kelly's abstract work. So I was always inspired by fine art, whether sculptures or painting. That's usually filling my research floors, and I quite like the way that I translated fine art to kind of functioning clothing. But yeah, usually people like you or interior designers or a lot of art people spot that influence. Yeah, I think just being true to myself, I guess. I still remember going to a Basquiat exhibition for the first time in Korea when I was a kid, and I was like, 'Oh my god.' But now I realize how lucky I was to see that—that these things are possible, and it gives you allowance to be who you are. And I think when I'm designing, incorporating these kind of art influences makes it—what Rejina is today—more special. So for the brand's 10-year anniversary, we were thinking of—you know—you could be throwing a bigger fashion show or things like that. And I decided to do an art exhibition. So I created 19 female artists, including my mother, who's very—you know—influenced to be who I am today, as well as so many other artists that I was inspired by and could not be who I am or the brand to be without them. So Angela de la Cruz and Chantal Joffy, and also as well as younger artists like Antonia Showering, and who we share—I guess—the, you know, mirror color aesthetic and how we see the world. And I always enjoy those conversations so much. And that was amazing because usually a fashion show finishes in 10 minutes and there's hierarchies of front row and second row, and it just feels like such a short glimpse and dream. Whereas the exhibitions can last much longer, and I love the fact that it was so democratic—you could have seven-year-old kids to 70-year-old grandmas, anyone can just stroll in from the street and enjoy that moment. So that was kind of almost a highlight.

I think after COVID and have been doing this more interactive events much more.

I think, yeah, I remember having like a secret group chat with all the fashion industry people—how we're going to navigate this and we need to slow down. And during COVID, that's when I think everyone could be really connected to what the value is, what is important. But I guess it's complicated with bigger conglomerates. They have shareholders and all the people probably breathing down their neck. Whereas we are 100% independent—no investors or anything. So any decision or things that we value, we can really put it in action. And I guess the feeling I had or the realization that there is not an only way—it's not a rat race who's going to get bigger or faster. I think the beauty of it is every business and brand is different, and they speak different ways and to different people. So I think that hasn't changed even though the pandemic has finished. And then I think the fact that you don't have to go to work every day, that you can just work from home—I mean, now it's so normal, but at the time that was quite radical to break that social rule. So I think maybe that gave me more confidence and space that you can do things differently and it's totally fine. You just get your job done, and yeah, you don't have to be doing the same thing. So I mean, I still enjoy fashion shows every moment and I love it, but it's not sometimes the best way to tell the story or connect with people. I think when we opened the store, for example—that was after the pandemic—and I think it was probably the boldest thing that we've done, you know, as a young independent brand to have a brick-and-mortar store in the center of London. But that kind of shows you how much it costs to do a fashion show just for a very limited audience, where you can't really buy this connection with your whole community of people. Which is, I don't know, unimaginable now, having the store for two and a half years—the connection that we built, and also the independence, and showing the whole entire vision world to people. Because as you can see, it's not just clothes on the rail. We have furniture that I designed, and the art piece is always there. And we've just recently done this collaboration with Wandering People, and you know, we have been selling artwork actually. And there's a curation of books. And I think it's much more than just selling the product for us. You know how much I'm into food—it's a whole 360-degree lifestyle that everyone is enjoying and you can't live without.

Yes, I definitely didn't want a whole white marble where you can't touch anything and a very oppressive, exclusive experience. Whenever I'm traveling, I'm attracted to these stores that have such a personality. And when you go to a friend's house, they have like full of interesting stuff, and you want to see their bookshelves and wardrobe and kitchen, everything. So I wanted that kind of experience where you want to stay and explore and really feel it, but without that kind of formal stuffiness. And I think we've done that because a lot of feedback we have—people just don't want to leave. It's like in the busy street in Soho in London, and they feel so serene, and they want to chill out.

Yes. I mean, these days people don't buy just a product because they need it. It's more about the emotional connection and almost the representation of 'I'm part of this community and this is the belief that I have for this brand.' I think it's much more than just a product. I mean, I have to thank my amazing store staff—the stories I hear from them, and they all become friends with the customers. So we really get to know where they're from, where they're getting married, and they have sisters to bring next time they come to London. Yeah, it's really a continual relationship rather than a one-off purchase. And then we do customer-facing events, and we are preparing doing artist talks and things like that. So I think it will be more like a cultural experience that we can share.

Yeah, I mean, I guess you have to count your lucky stars. I can't say it's all because we've done everything brilliantly. But I think one thing we can talk about is that how we really try to stay true to ourselves, not comparing. I have this brilliant team member—she's also a master of sustainability—and so it's also another thing that we've been working on for 10 years. We don't have to scream down from the roof because it's what everyone should be doing. But one day she said, 'You know how in capitalism people just measure success by numbers because that's the only measure you can count on. But what if it's a company that people want to stay working?' And I have to mention everyone that I've been working together—my first ever intern, she's still with me. Another person, eight years. And everyone is like family now. I think that's another strength. But also, we were never greedy in a way. Because I guess it's quite bad to not have money as a motivation having a business. But I'm not really interested in just scaling and making more profit. That's good if that happens to sustain the business, but having the credibility and the connection with people—I think that's so much more important to me. And I can see that small can be beautiful and great. And I don't need to be a CEO of 100 team members just managing team. So I still design myself. I don't like it just having designers to do it for you because that's the reason why I started.

Yeah, I think it changed so much. I mean, maybe I didn't know any other way to do it at the time. But I have to say it gave us global recognition doing fashion shows and things like that. So it wasn't all bad. But I think having these giants—wholesale people going—I can see a lot of fellow designers who are relying on that. The impact is massive. So that kind of gives you maybe the evidence that you really need your community and customers for yourselves, not relying on the big wholesale orders, because the investment doesn't always pay off, or you have to wait too long to get paid. I guess it also often leads to overproduction and discounting—seasonal discount—which I'm not really a fan of, because all the designs that we do, we have seasonless, timeless in mind. So I guess, yeah, it's really examining what you are and what you're happy with. I guess everyone is different. My happiness and my goal was different to maybe someone scaling fast and getting cash out and exit. It's a different agenda. So I guess it's good to know what you're about and you can stay true to that, not following others.

Yes, I'm so grateful and amazed how Korea is perceived now. Because when I was leaving Korea 16 years ago, it was nothing like that. They'd be asking, 'Are you from North Korea or South Korea?' But I'm so happy and really embracing it, because every time I meet people, they are dying to go to Seoul, and I'll send them recommendations. But the amazing thing is every year you go, it changed already. The pace is so fast. So you will feel like you're visiting a new city all the time. Because I still have my family there, we enjoy Seoul, but also we go to the countryside a lot as well, which I think a lot of people don't get to do because Seoul is so massive that a week, two weeks, you can still be there. But the countryside—70% of Korea is mountains, and it's surrounded by three different seas. So we have amazing nature if you are longing for that. Yeah, I think—I was saying recently—even though I'm not from there, I think if I was visiting, it would be one of my favorite places to go. So I'm not—I wouldn't say I'm not biased, but that's not possible. Well, yeah, the food, the people, and just everything, the energy.

Yeah, that's a really good question. Once I visited this traditional museum, I realized, 'Oh, this is like the top that we designed without buttons or zip—it's just to do with the ties on either side.' And then there was a bag that looked like a traditional Korean lunchbox, you know, without realizing you are influenced and it's somewhere there in your DNA. But also with the modern world, it really keeps me—it's very smart, very detailed, very modern. I guess that part really speaks to me as a Korean person. Culturally, it's very different in a way that in Korea you can go to a wedding wearing jeans, whereas in the UK it's like a gown affair. So I guess mixing those two extremes—that makes maybe Rejina Pyo more interesting. Definitely. And I guess the sense of ease in your clothes as well—they always fit well and they're quite functional even if it is a more dressy cocktail dress. Is that something that comes from living in Seoul or going and walking around the city, given its dynamism? Well, I guess you could say that because they wouldn't tolerate any nonsense. But I think it was kind of innated in me when I was growing up. I admired Chanel and Miu Miu, Prada—how they liberated women compared to other male designers who had their own muse and just to see how they're standing. The women might be suffering not to be able to sit or have dinner or something. So that was always in my philosophy: Can you sit down and eat a nice meal?

Yeah. You don't think you're doing it different until other people like you tell you. Because you think your world is normal. But I think fashion world is so fast and it's all about, 'Okay, who's the hottest now?' And then it changes. And if you're so in that world, I think it can be quite vacuous and detached from who you are as a true version of yourself. Maybe it's going too holistic, but in a way I think fashion exists and it's more beautiful when it's integrated with genuine life to be enjoyed. And I really love that. And also it's the creativity that runs through our life. When you're cooking, you're being creative. When I'm painting, I'm creative. The way that you decorate your house, interior design—everything that we enjoy day-to-day is all from the creativity. So it's not just like a one-directional way of how it looks, how it's all about the outfit or things like that. I find that most fascinating and interesting—how people live, and fashion is part of it.

So artist Munch, who I admired for a very long time—I think he's more famous for The Scream painting. So in Oslo there's this amazing museum, the Munch Museum, and they came to us to collaborate. So I made a special patinated steel mirror that I designed inspired by his work, and some artwork that became a really beautiful silk scarf. So it's like a small kind of collection homage to Munch, and it coincides with the National Portrait Gallery's Munch exhibition. And then we're working on this big collaboration that will be coming in October. And we're in talks with the first kind of major physical space to be in Seoul. So lots of things in the pipeline.

I always had a more broad interest than fashion. So when this big department store came to us suggesting opening something—obviously they had the clothing in mind—but then I suggested, 'Can I bring other things, such as painting, ceramics, and glassware and things like that?' And they loved the idea. So I think I'll make a curation, a bit like an art gallery, but have a shop as well. So it's not just a typical clothing-only store. So I think it would be interesting.

Yeah, I think people are being expansive and realizing you have more synergy working together. And there's no boundaries, I guess. And maybe that's the connection with the more creative side in every industry.