EMILY EANAE: Identity Through Duality 

Conversation with emerging fashion designer EMILY EANAE

EMILY EANAE is an emerging fashion designer and project rooted in both Korean heritage and American upbringing. It is named after the designer’s English and Korean names. The brand explores duality, transformation, and identity. In this conversation, the designer reflects on the origins of EMILY EANAE, the development of the Stower collection, while discussing the way cultural duality continues to shape her creative process.

IRK: You founded EMILY EANAE in 2024, rooted in your dual Korean and American identity. How does this shape your creative direction today?

EMILY EANAE: I’m constantly inspired by my upbringing and the way both sides of my identity are deeply important to me. There are moments when I feel more connected to one side than the other, and those shifts often become the starting point for a collection. Growing up between Korean heritage and an American upbringing has shaped the way I see contrasts, emotions, and storytelling in design. My everyday experiences also play a big role. In particular, the environments I’m in, the people I meet, and the way I emotionally respond to certain situations affect me. I think the brand continues to evolve alongside me. Because of that, the work stays honest and true to myself.

IRK: How do you usually begin a new collection, and what inspirations guide you as the project develops?

EMILY EANAE: It varies every time. Sometimes I am inspired by a specific fabric and sometimes by something I come across. In truth, it depends on my everyday life and what I am encountering. Going to fabric stores and looking at different materials always continues my inspiration, as fabric tells the story in itself. Going back to Korea brings back memories and lets me see details I hadn’t noticed before. It is all part of growing up and looking at everyday life in a different light. Art is really everywhere.

IRK: What is the narrative behind your latest Stower collection, and how did you build its universe?

EMILY EANAE: I was initially inspired by hip pads from the 1900s and how they used it for body contouring as undergarments. I wanted to change the tradition and bring it out of the garment somehow. I created a motif (star + flower) “Stower” which represents my identity of not fitting one or the other. So I created my own identity. Many people can attest to this motif and how their two cultures combined creates a unique identity of theirs. 

IRK: What was the original idea behind the “Stower” motif, and how did it evolve into a visual language?

EMILY EANAE: The meaning behind the “Stower” motif can relate to anyone and everyone. The message of creating your unique identity; whether it is cultural, sexual, religion, anything, I wanted to write a message that you don’t have to conform to one specific identity. I created the word “Stower”, and anyone can create their own word/identity. 

IRK: How do you approach the relationship between structure and softness in shaping the body in your work as an emerging fashion designer?

EMILY EANAE: Structural elements like the hip pad provide an extension of an outline of the body, but I don’t want it to feel structured or rigid. I like to balance out the two by the fabric I am using with knit jerseys to contrast the silhouette with a soft texture. With the hip-pad, I am interested in creating a new shape. Moreover, that new shape feels unfamiliar, yet theatrical.

IRK: How do you balance fantasy and playfulness with the practical side of creating garments?

EMILY EANAE: I balance out my garments by twisting one part of the garment, but keeping a familiar silhouette. For example, I may exaggerate the hip shape or introduce an unfamiliar detail of a hem. However, the overall garment still feels wearable and recognizable. I enjoy creating pieces that feel imaginative and theatrical while still allowing the wearer to feel comfortable and confident. That balance between fantasy and familiarity is very important to me.  

IRK: How does this “in-between” space between cultures and identities translate into your design process for Stower?

EMILY EANAE: The “in-between” space naturally becomes part of my design process because it reflects my own experience. I often combine contrasting elements, soft with structured, traditional with modern, feminine with something slightly awkward or unfamiliar. With Stower, I wanted to visually express the feeling of not fully belonging to one category. Instead of trying to resolve that tension, I embraced it and allowed the garments to exist in that mixed space. As a result, that ultimately created a stronger identity for the collection.  

IRK: What draws you to familiar symbols like stars and flowers, and why do you reframe them in unexpected ways?

EMILY EANAE: I tend to summarize myself or aspects of my collection into a motif that is easily memorable. For instance, in my Balloon Dog collection I had twisted and tied stockings which represented both my cultures, and turned it into a balloon animal which reflects a final version of myself. I love to create images that represent the brand and have fun with motifs. 

IRK: How do you approach accessories within your collections, and what role do they play in the narrative?

EMILY EANAE: Accessories are definitely the final touches to my collection, and I have so much fun creating them. I am having fun experimenting with different shapes that continue the extension of my collections with the specific motifs that reflect my collection. Sometimes I start with sketching the accessories first. For me, it is quite the most exciting part. 

IRK: As an emerging fashion designer, how does the Stower collection position and define EMILY EANAE today?

EMILY EANAE: The Stower collection definitely sparked my understanding of the brand more clearly and helped solidify its identity. It allowed me to fully express the themes I am most interested in which are duality, transformation, softness, and creating new forms of identity. I think this collection became an important turning point for EMILY EANAE. This is because it established a stronger visual language that I want to continue evolving in future collections. More to come!

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