Hun Kim for ODDA 30

Few people in fashion have had the privilege of witnessing genius in motion, and fewer still who have been entrusted to carry it forward. Hun Kim belongs to that rare category. After more than a decade at KARL LAGERFELD—five of those directly under Karl himself—he didn’t just absorb the house’s aesthetic codes, he learned the pace, clarity, and rigor that made Karl such a force in fashion. Now, as creative director, Kim balances honoring that legacy with making the brand his own, blending instinct and intellect, emotion and precision, in ways that feel fresh and personal. His path has been shaped by movement: starting in Seoul, developing his craft in New York, and now working in Europe. Each city taught him something different—the discipline and collective rigor of Seoul, the experimental individuality of New York—and Kim thrives in adaptation, using those lessons to shape garments that feel thoughtful and alive. For him, design starts with emotion but is guided by intellect: creating something beautiful that also works for real people. Observation and discipline are inseparable, and he embraces imperfection when it sparks discovery, whether rethinking a hem or trying a shirt backward on a model. Collaboration matters too. From working with digital artist Joann to campaigns with Paris Hilton, Kim seeks people who bring their own energy—those who can merge with the house without losing themselves. AI has become another tool in his process, helping speed up prototyping and t