Designer Oliver Tolentino invited to Busan Int’l Fashion Week in S. Korea

Korean fashion icon Andre Kim and Oliver Tolentino at Bali Fashion Week. CONTRIBUTED

Filipino American fashion designer Oliver Tolentino has been invited to show at the Busan International Film Fashion Week FW23 (BIFFW23) in South Korea on May 30.

Billed as one of the biggest fashion weeks in the world after CV-19, BIFFW23 will feature designers from Paris, London, Milan, New York, Los Angeles, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.

Tolentino notes, “Everyone knows how popular Korean music and TV programs have become, so I’m honored the organizers reached out and invited me to participate in their fashion event.”

BIFFW23 is branded with the famous Busan Film Festival, held annually in October, and it will be held in the same Outdoor Theater of Busan Cinema Center. The venue has a capacity of 4,000 seats.

Busan, the second largest city in South Korea, is the country’s major tourist destination with beaches and sacred temples. Similar to the film festival, BIFFW23 is expected to draw celebrities from Korea’s entertainment and fashion industries.

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Coincidentally, Tolentino was an invited guest of Bali Fashion Week in Indonesia in 2008 when the father of Korean fashion, Andre Kim, was Bali’s special guest designer.

Tolentino recalls, “Andre Kim flew in a 727 jet’s worth of Korean celebrities and dignitaries, including South Korea’s deputy prime minister, and he showed 110 pieces while confetti snow fell for almost an hour. It was very impressive.”

He adds: “Unfortunately, Mr. Kim passed away since that show, but if you mention his name to Koreans, he’s an icon in their fashion industry. I was honored he watched my show and personally complimented me afterwards. He also was a judge when I won 1^st prize in a Carnivale parade contest. Now that I’m going to show in Korea, I’m so pleased to have that nice memory and personal connection,” shares the designer.

Supertalent of the World (STOW) is producing the event. STOW is a Paris-based global leader in fashion and beauty events, operating in more than 120 countries. Miss Supertalent of the World finalists from 50 countries will participate in Busan.

After BIFFW23 Tolentino will stop in Manila to work in his Makati boutique until June 15. For more info: www.OliverTolentino.com.