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The invitation from Buckingham Palace is on the most beautiful paper in December. Since I’m Korean and I was 25 when I moved to England, I didn’t know that much about the royal family or the palace, or how big of a deal it would be to be invited.
Normally I wear my own brand for work or events, but this felt like a unique opportunity to show where I’m from, my country and my culture. I lived in Korea all my life until I moved to London, and you can appreciate it a little more when you’re away. What I saw growing up in Korea, to me, is completely normal – until you get older, you assume that everyone else’s childhood is the same. I think meeting my husband, who is Irish, helped me see how special and unique my country is – when he tasted Korean food for the first time, he couldn’t get his head around this vast and amazing cuisine. Seeing Korea through his eyes showed me that it really isn’t like any other place. We came up with the idea of wearing hanbok for the reception while talking to him.
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In Korea, we wear hanbok for weddings or New Year, which is a big national holiday. It was very common in the 80s and 90s, when you were a kid you and your parents wore hanbok to see your grandparents. But now many people do not wear it, except for young children or brides. If you go to the old town in Seoul, you can still see people wearing the modern version.
Regina’s hanbok is highlighted by traditional jewelry made of jade, coral and pearls.
The last time I wore it was in 2011, when I got married. When I was invited to attend the King Charles and Queen concert reception, I asked my friend in Korea if I could borrow a hanbok. They can’t borrow one! It should be built for your body. They introduced me to Jesok Ahn, the artisan behind Silosilk, who is passionate about hanbok. The timing coincided with the Lunar New Year celebration, but she said she would work through the night to do so. That’s Korean thinking in action!
Hair ornaments were placed in Regina’s hair before the reception at Buckingham Palace.
The process of discussing with her how to approach it was great, even though it was such a strange feeling for me as a fashion designer – I’m normally very controlled! I am very passionate about the use of color in my collections. I told her that warm colors look better on me and she showed me this beautiful handmade pink fabric with a gold leaf stamp on it. The silk wasn’t shiny, but it had this wonderful sheen.
“I will honor him for the rest of my life,” wrote Pio.
Usually with hanbok the skirt is a different color, but she thought it would be unique if the top and bottom were the same shade, something I’ve never seen before. The design may be too elaborate, but I like the result. Jessok is such a professional, and has given her life to this outfit, so there was a lot of love and trust there.
My hanbok was very formal, with a jacket long enough to hide your hands. It’s funny because when I was in kindergarten, there was a day when all the kids wore hanbok and my mom insisted that I have longer to hide my hands in the normal style. Who knew that one day I’d be wearing the same outfit as Buckingham Palace?
When the hanbok arrived at our studio from Korea, the team was amazed at how beautiful it looked. Jasok also sent a unique piece of traditional Korean jewelry. norigae Consisting of a pair of butterflies made with jade, freshwater pearl and coral, and matching hair ornaments. She regularly dresses her customers, so in this case she filmed a video showing how to properly wear dresses and covers.
Getting ready at night was a slow process, it felt like a ritual, and it was incredibly emotional. I felt surrounded by Korean love. Although my own collections are not directly inspired by Korean culture, it’s all in me, I probably took it for granted when I was young, I didn’t immediately appreciate the rich culture.
I couldn’t move a step in the castle without someone telling me they liked my outfit or asking to take a picture – it was crazy. Even some Koreans who saw me from behind said they thought a royal came from Korea to welcome me. I felt incredibly proud to have the opportunity to showcase my country’s traditions and crafts.
Jessok gave me a hanbok and I will cherish it for the rest of my life – along with the memory of that night at Buckingham Palace. I hope to wear it again one day. Maybe at my kids wedding… or maybe just in the kitchen.
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