Timur Kim
Designer
London-based designer Timur Kim creates personal narrative-focused collections that escape traditional gender norms. The stories are based on his unique life journey that started in the Russian town of Vologda, famous for its beautiful Russian Orthodox Churches and monasteries. Kim was born into a mixed Russian and Korean family, relocating to Saint Petersburg one year later. This pragmatic move allowed him to attend art schools, develop an interest in fashion and acquire pattern making and sewing skills. Kim showed his very first RTW collection at the age of 16 at Saint Petersburg Fashion Week.
Influenced by Central Saint Martins’ alumni and their legendary professor, the late Louise Wilson, Kim successfully applied to study fashion design at the university. He did BA and MA Fashion, secured Pringle and Chloé bursaries and was among the youngest CSM MA Fashion graduates at the age of 22. More profoundly, London was the place where he broke free from the social pressures of being an ethnic and gay minority, allowing him to flourish creatively.
Kim’s signature patchworking of textures, characters, eras and values is a true reflection of the designer’s life and the lives of those closest to him. Kim continues to be highly involved in all aspects of his collection development, choosing to cut and sew all woven samples himself.
London-based designer Timur Kim creates personal narrative-focused collections that escape traditional gender norms. The stories are based on his unique life journey that started in the Russian town of Vologda, famous for its beautiful Russian Orthodox Churches and monasteries. Kim was born into a mixed Russian and Korean family, relocating to Saint Petersburg one year later. This pragmatic move allowed him to attend art schools, develop an interest in fashion and acquire pattern making and sewing skills. Kim showed his very first RTW collection at the age of 16 at Saint Petersburg Fashion Week.
Influenced by Central Saint Martins’ alumni and their legendary professor, the late Louise Wilson, Kim successfully applied to study fashion design at the university. He did BA and MA Fashion, secured Pringle and Chloé bursaries and was among the youngest CSM MA Fashion graduates at the age of 22. More profoundly, London was the place where he broke free from the social pressures of being an ethnic and gay minority, allowing him to flourish creatively.
Kim’s signature patchworking of textures, characters, eras and values is a true reflection of the designer’s life and the lives of those closest to him. Kim continues to be highly involved in all aspects of his collection development, choosing to cut and sew all woven samples himself.