In September 2024, we decided to embark on a very unique adventure.
We formed a collaboration with Sockstaz, a store specializing in socks and lifestyle products in Seoul, which is also known for creating collaborations with artists and designers from all over the world and for independently producing socks, as well as importing high-quality socks and products from around the world to Korea.
We must mention, Taemin, the owner of the brand, is an exceptionally unique figure in the South Korean landscape. First of all, in Korean society, starting an independent business is not a trivial matter; it is a society largely organized around corporations and large companies, and seeing independent entrepreneurs is not a common occurrence.
Secondly, his work with international creators is exceptional in itself, since Korean society is quite homogeneous and there is an endless abundance of creators, manufacturers, and products. The local market largely sustains itself among the Koreans, and at most—between other markets in East Asia and the surrounding area.
So, I felt incredibly lucky when Taemin invited me to come and present at the new store they opened in the Jongno district of Seoul. Our collaboration began back in late 2019, during the COVID-19 period. Together, we created the first socks collection, "The Secret Garden". After delays in deliveries and factory closures, the collection arrived in Israel and was a huge success. We ordered more and more socks and realized that this heart-catching product had plenty of room for Nama to express herself, and people wanted to put this beauty on their feet.
A long time passed between the first and second collections due to constraints with the factory Taemin works with, and it wasn’t until 2023 that the connection was renewed, and we began working on the new collection.
The previous collection was very illustrative and unique, and for the current collection, we wanted to explore somewhat different territories that are more connected to fashion, blending with clothing to create fresh and interesting looks. The inspiration for the collection came from the cheerful patterns of the 1970s. There is something about the nostalgia of the 1970s that very much resonates with the essence of our brand, and honestly, we’ve often been told that our items remind people of something familiar and pleasant from the past, but with a modern twist, of course.
We combined the playfulness, colors, and movement of the patterns with a contemporary twist to create the new collection. The development process was long and included various challenges along the way.
The idea behind the trip was to finally launch the new collection in South Korea, and then at home. Alongside the socks, we presented the familiar, beloved products from our shop: blankets, pillows, kitchen towels, bags, and everything we could take with us.
Additionally, in September, the traditional Chuseok holiday took place in South Korea. It is a very family-oriented holiday, a harvest and thanksgiving celebration that marks the arrival of autumn, a holiday that celebrates a wealth of unique foods and family time together. In honor of the holiday, we created framed artworks using the tufting technique, which were displayed on the central wall of the store. Taemin also made special stickers and postcards with the illustrations we created, which were sold alongside the other items. It was so heartwarming to see the excitement on people's faces as they passed by the store's window display. It was a truly special experience where we had the opportunity to get to know the Korean market and the wonderful people of Seoul a little more closely.
