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Soojin Kang - Reusing and repurposing

Auteur : Esther | 04-09-2011

I have such fond memories of going to garage sales, flea markets, and antique sales with my father as a child. He was always looking for old chairs that he would bring back to life with beautiful new upholstering. Designer, Soojin Kang does just this beautifully taking second-hand chairs and other pieces of furniture and covers them with leather patches. The result is sublime !!!

photograph by Ania Wawrzkowicz

Born in Seoul, South Korea, Soojin Kang graduated from Central Saint Martins College of Art and Design, London with a Masters in Textile Futures in 2009. Her work is focused equally on aesthetics and tactility, Kang seeks to evoke a heightened, intensified state of being in all who interact with her work. She works on creating new identities and strives to tell stories through her designs. As someone creative, Kang works on a broad range of projects, though her inspiration always comes from the same place – from materials, colors and the feelings they conjure up.

When did you know you wanted to become a designer?
When I was 9 years old, my mother sent me to a private drawing class where I found my tutor different from the people who I knew. I asked her what her job was and she said ‘I am a designer’.
At that time, I probably didn’t even know what designers do, but I wanted to be like her. Since then my dream became to be a designer.

What was the first object you designed?
Can a children’s book be an object? If so, it was a homework assignment in which I had to create my own sketchbook during my first year of coursework in the UK. I remember I was very disappointed in myself because I thought my book was too boring while the other student sketchbooks were all creative and interesting. I was very sad for a long while.

What comes first for you when designing, the materials or the design idea?
The materials always come first. The tactility is very important for my project as well as the colour and feeling that they conjure up together. It is hard for me to design something if I haven’t found the right materials that I want to touch and feel.

Who are your favorite designers and how do they inspire you?
My favorite designer is Martin Margiela. I have a fashion background and recently I would like to fuse it with inertial design.
His work inspires me to break the boundaries between fashion and interiors, especially between their avant-garde styles and concepts.

Do you have a favorite among all your creations, if so why is this your favourite?
I haven’t found one yet. I like them all and none of them at the same time. It is very difficult to explain but I always feel like that next project will be my favourite one.

What do you like to do when you have a moment for yourself?
I like to read books and newspapers. I also like to watch TV, especially online Korean TV shows so that I can catch up on what’s going on in my home country as well as in UK.

What are your current projects?
I am currently working on a new dressed furniture collection which will show at the Milan Furniture Fair in April 2011.