PRESS

Jennifer Chun, Uniformed’s designer, brings a refreshing collaboration of Korean-American heritage and sustainability practices. Her story began during the pandemic, when she discovered traditional natural dyeing techniques. After connecting with experts and artisans, she came to Korea and got directly involved in the dyeing lessons. “I had no idea Korea had its natural dyeing traditions,” Chun shared.

Her collection is a celebratory integration of hand-dyed materials and fabrics from traditional markets to create a sustainable, limited-edition line.

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Jennifer Chun.

Jennifer, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?

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We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Jennifer  Chun a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Knitting has been practiced by artisans and passed down as a heritage craft for centuries. Because of its historical relevance, many knitwear lovers, especially those who engage in the craft themselves, interpret it as a way to connect back to their heritage, like Jennifer Chun. Chun has a background in wovens and is the designer behind UNIFORMED, a ready-to-wear brand that pays homage to her Korean background.

“Working with Korean artisans through this endeavor has sparked a renewed interest [in my outlook on fashion.] I was lucky enough to not only learn the natural dye process firsthand, which has been a part of Korea’s tradition for generations but also collaborate with them in other ways.”

Designer Jennifer Chun had an eponymous label, but, faced with the difficulties of running a small business, shut it down in 2017. During the pandemic she came across a story about natural dyeing in Korea, where she was born. It inspired her to reach out to local artisans with the help of her mother. The result is Uniformed, a brand that uses upcycled fabrics and trim to create wearable pieces that nod to Chun’s heritage.

Michelle Park meets with Uniformed Designer Jennifer Chun to see how she is bringing her roots and sustainability together for a new fashion line.

Designer Jennifer Chun was born in Daegu, South Korea, and in researching her hometown and its rich heritage of textiles, natural dyeing and sustainability, she fell in love with the culture and created her own fashion brand, UNIFORMED.

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Designer Jennifer Chun returns to fashion with a sustainability-focused new label that draws on her Korean heritage.