Eunji Oh
Eunji Oh embodies a duality that sits on the border between leather and skin, revealing and restraining silhouettes, Belgium and Korea. In her approach to leather goods with humor and positivity, the designer questions the vulnerability of the body and intimacy. She sees leather as a second skin, both literally and symbolically.
Eunji Oh is a Belgian Korean accessory designer. She graduated in industrial design from La Cambre, where she later pursued a master’s degree in accessories. During this study, she discovered her passion for leatherworking, which inspired her to create a collection of bags and shoes for her graduation project. Eunji is currently attending a two-year leatherworking course at the Campus Arts et Métiers de l'Institut Jeanne Toussaint to further develop her technical skills. In 2023, Eunji won the MAD Graduation Prize at MAD Brussels. That same year, she was also named a finalist in the ITS Contest, an international award for emerging fashion, accessory and jewelry designers. In 2024, with her collection “Overweight,” Eunji was one of the finalists of the 39th edition of the Festival de Hyères, le festival international de la mode, de la photographie et des accessoires. Pieces of this collection were also displayed during “Fashion Moves”, a group exhibition at MAD Brussels in 2024.
" I create bags inspired by the corporal and organic textures of leather, a living and noble material that I work with responsibly to minimize environmental impact."
Did you know that in the fashion and luxury industry, up to 50% of leather is discarded due to the strict aesthetic standards? This reality has not gone unnoticed by Eunji Oh, who dedicates her work to leather goods and footwear, two cornerstones of this industry. The designer approaches leather with profound respect, aware of the environmental issues it raises. This awareness drives her to reclaim scraps and discarded leather pieces, collaborating with initiatives like Adapta Paris that breathe new life into deadstock. For Eunji Oh, upcycling becomes an act of resistance to this wastefulness. She transforms neglected resources into unique creations and adopts a more responsible approach to using leather. For her, leather is more than just a material, it embodies skin and the intimate connection with the body. By working with this noble material, the designer explores the tension between vulnerability and strength. She presents leather as a second skin revealing the duality between protection and exposure that is specific to our bodies.
“The perfect body does not exist.” This statement, both profoundly meaningful and controversial due to social media, is revisited by Eunji Oh through humor. In response to the fatalism that resonates with many, she calls her collection OVERWEIGHT. She reveals, with some irony, strapped pieces that clearly show the chubby, compressed shapes that go against body norms imposed by society. For the designer, the accessories collection highlights a social tension that exists in our society. The body is trapped in restrictive fabrics and judged from the outside when it wants to reveal itself. By using a skin-coloured palette, the collection also emphasises the importance of inclusion. A strong dialogue emerges between the pieces and the image of the body, while encouraging us to break through the complex relationship with ourselves.
At the intersection of cultural influences and personal experiences, Eunji Oh's dual Belgian Korean nationality undoubtedly enriches her creativity. Her first collection, focused on wearability, consists of small pastel-coloured bags with an eye-catching design. She targets an audience sensitive to this aesthetic, however, not hiding her interest in the Asian market and sees it as an ambitious goal for the future of her brand. In the meantime, Eunji is focusing on Belgium and emphasizing the expertise of the local artisans she works with. In addition, she makes custom-made accessoiries, where customers can choose their materials and personalise their designs. Furthermore, she incorporates autobiographical elements into her work. This way, Eunji Oh combines her Korean roots with her creative ambition.