The Ministry of Culture and its affiliate Korea Creative Content Agency announced the names of five designers for its ambitious project aimed at promoting South Korean fashion overseas.

The list of designers for the Concept Korea Fashion Collectives includes Lie Sang-bong, Song Jung-wan, Choi Bo-ko, Kim Hong-bum and Kye Han-hee. The five will hold presentations and other events to promote their works during New York Fashion Week, the ministry said.

Designers are given the opportunity to participate in the upcoming fashion week in September and February next year. Their works will be showcased in a group presentation, the opening ceremony of the Concept Korea event in New York and in individual show rooms for buyers. 

The Concept Korea Spring/Summer 2013 event will be held on Sept. 7 at the Stage Hall of the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

The five designers were selected by a group of global advisors including Fern Mallis, founder of New York Fashion Week, Simon Collins, dean of the school of fashion at Parsons, and Carol Song, head buyer at Opening Ceremony, a popular New York retailer.

Most of the events and promotions are supported by the Culture Ministry and Daegu city government who have allocated 1.2 billion won ($1.05 million) for the project this year.

Organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Daegu Metropolitan City, KOCCA, Korea Research Institute for Fashion Industry, the collaborative project was first launched in February 2010.

By Cho Chung-un (christory@heraldcorp.com)