According to a Daily NK source in Pyongyang recently, designs by twenty-something creators who trained overseas began gaining popularity among the capital’s elite in the second half of last year. Demand has surged over the past three to four months through word-of-mouth recommendations.
These overseas-trained designers work primarily through pre-orders from Pyongyang’s privileged class—including the wives and children of officials living in upscale districts like Potonggang and Chung in central Pyongyang.
A single outfit costs 1,000 to 2,000 yuan, significantly more than the 600 yuan for quality ready-made clothing.
Skepticism and suspicion
However, many North Koreans view these designer pieces with deep skepticism.
“Most people say the designers claim this is domestically-made North Korean clothing, but it’s really just imported from China and slightly modified—changing labels, adjusting sleeves or collars, adding embroidery, or supplementing the fabric,” the source explained.
Critics point out that the clothing “gives off a strong Chinese feel because it combines Chinese traditional embroidery with silk.” Some dismiss the designers entirely, saying “anyone who’s worked in China for a while could learn that and sell altered Chinese clothes themselves.”
Elite connections
The designers popular among Pyongyang’s upper class are typically graduates of Pyongyang University of Fine Arts who spent six months to a year training at prestigious fashion companies in Shanghai and other Chinese cities.
“Children from wealthy families go abroad to study with their parents’ financial backing, then return to modify imported clothes and sell them at inflated prices,” the source said. “When officials call this ‘new North Korean-style clothing,’ some people are disgusted and quietly bad-mouth it.”
The trend gets additional support from powerful families who claim that “creative domestic clothing is more beautiful than imports,” but skeptics see this as “just a shallow ploy to help the children of fellow officials.”
