03/13/2026
It’s honestly really disappointing to see traditional Asian garments like the Hanbok being used as just another fashion trend by big retailers like Nordstrom, or even by fellow photographers in styled shoots. These pieces carry centuries of cultural history, identity, and meaning—they’re not simply “pretty dresses” or aesthetic props. When they’re used purely as a fashion statement without acknowledging or respecting their cultural significance, it feels like that history and heritage are being overlooked.
Cultural clothing deserves to be appreciated in a way that honors where it comes from and what it represents, not reduced to a trend or costume.
The outfits shown in my photos are an authentic hanbok, and the people wearing it understands the cultural meaning and significance behind it. Wearing something like this should come with respect and awareness of its origins. If people want to wear traditional garments like a hanbok, that’s wonderful, but it should come from a place of appreciation and understanding of the culture it comes from, not simply as a way to “play dress up.” These pieces deserve to be worn and represented with the respect they carry.
