Young Jin Jang’s ‘Hanok’ accessories

What are the core inspirations behind your designs?

“Young Jin Jang: The collection was spiritually and technically inspired by the Asian architectural wood joint system. The wood joint is a technical system consisting of tenon and mortise, and it’s used to maintain the balance of buildings. When observing pillars under the eaves of Korean ‘Hanok’, I found their shape to be monotonous but the hidden principle of their assembly complicated.

Carpenters must consider the size and quality of the timber they use to make tenon and mortise joints, because wood is a sensitive material whch can contract or expand depending on the local weather and environment, which is likely to cause unintended shape variation. This shows that architecture is more than just construction; it involves the creation of an artefact which reflects the spirit of the age and communicates with nature and human beings. It is also a connection between the designer or maker and the product itself.”

Flawless accessories inspired by “Asian architectural wood joint systems” prevalent in Korean architecture and the (totally deserved) winner of the 2016 YKK Award.

Read more of Young Jin Jang’s interview with DAZED here.