New York-based fashion designer Heejin Hwang will present a new collection at Vancouver Fashion Week FW27 in April 2027, after an early career shaped by travel, international living, and formal study in New York. Born in Busan, South Korea, and raised in Beijing, China, Heejin spent five years working as a flight attendant, a period that broadened her view of cultural expression and informed the visual and technical choices in her work. She later trained at the Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), where she earned a BFA in Fashion Design with a concentration in Special Occasion. That mix of global experience and focused design training has produced a practice that moves between conceptual, sculptural work and commercially minded ready-to-wear and eveningwear.
Heejin’s work has attracted attention from established institutions and fashion media. In 2022 she was named a recipient of the CFDA 2022 Scholarship Awards, which included a $25,000 scholarship. The following year she was selected as one of eight national finalists in the 2023 SUPIMA Design Competition. She developed an original five-look capsule collection and presented it on the runway during New York Fashion Week. That body of work earned coverage from outlets such as Business of Fashion and Daily Front Row and was included in Vogue Runway’s Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear gallery for the Fashion Institute of Technology. Heejin was also a finalist for the 2023 Macy’s Capsule Collection competition, adding to a string of industry recognitions that have increased her visibility among buyers and editors.
One of the clearest expressions of Heejin’s design voice was her SUPIMA collection, The Sculptor’s Daughter. Inspired by her father’s work as a sculptor, the collection explored structure, volume, and the intersection of garment and body. Using sculptural silhouettes, dimensional textures, hand smocking, and intensive fabric manipulation, Heejin treated each piece as a small study in form and tactility. Working with five varieties of SUPIMA cotton, she tested the material’s ability to hold shape and define surface detail while still functioning as worn clothing. The collection was shown at the 2023 SUPIMA Design Competition runway during New York Fashion Week, and one look from that collection was later exhibited at the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence in Paris as part of the sixth annual SUPIMA Design Lab in October 2023.
While many of Heejin’s early accolades came from concept-driven work, her professional roles demonstrate an ability to design for market realities as well. At Parker, she worked on sportswear and eveningwear assortments for major retail accounts, contributing seasonal silhouettes, CAD sketches, fabric and print research, and technical development. That role required translating creative concepts into products suited to different price points and customers across Saks, Bloomingdale’s, Bergdorf Goodman, Macy’s, Nordstrom, and Nordstrom Rack. At Betsey Johnson, Heejin has served as a mainline designer working across ready-to-wear and evening dress collections, producing concept work, tech packs, and samples while collaborating with cross-functional teams. These positions have strengthened her ability to balance a distinctive point of view with product development demands.
Earlier in her career, Heejin worked with New York-based design teams including Emmelle Design, Marchesa Notte, and Teri Jon, supporting fittings, sample construction, garment measurements, and technical packages. She also founded KUAMI GOLF, a golf apparel brand in South Korea, giving her firsthand experience in developing a collection from concept through production. Together, these roles have given Heejin practical knowledge of construction, fit, and the processes that move a design from sketchbook to shop floor.
Heejin’s invitation from Global Fashion Collective to present at Vancouver Fashion Week FW27 offers an opportunity to bring the range of her work to a new audience. Her practice resists being limited to a single category; she pursues experimentation, thoughtful construction, and garments that respond to how people live and move. For this April 2027 presentation she plans to present a collection that reflects an evolving design language, one that continues to navigate the space between artistic expression and commercially viable fashion.
For additional coverage and context about Heejin’s recognition and the competitions that have featured her work, search the following titles online:
CFDA — 2022 Scholarship Recipients
Introducing the 2022 Recipients of CFDA Scholarships
SUPIMA — 2023 Finalists
Introducing the SUPIMA Design Competition Class of 2023
Business of Fashion — SUPIMA Competition Coverage
The 16th Annual Supima Design Competition Shines a Light on the Next Generation of Fashion Designers
Vogue Runway — Heejin’s Featured Look
FIT Fall 2023 Ready-to-Wear — Look 26
Daily Front Row — SUPIMA Finalists
Meet This Year’s Eight Finalists
MR Magazine — Paris Exhibition
SUPIMA Hits the Road in France
Heejin Hwang is a Busan-born, Beijing-raised, New York-based fashion designer whose international experiences inform a practice that blends sculptural form, texture, and contemporary dressing. A graduate of the Fashion Institute of Technology, she holds a BFA in Fashion Design with a concentration in Special Occasion. Before training in fashion she worked as a flight attendant for five years, traveling internationally and observing diverse ways people live and dress. Her professional experience spans ready-to-wear, sportswear, and eveningwear, including roles with Parker and Betsey Johnson. Distinctions include the CFDA 2022 Scholarship Awards, finalist recognition in the 2023 SUPIMA Design Competition, and selection as a 2023 Macy’s Capsule Collection finalist. Her work has appeared in Vogue Runway and in international exhibitions. She will present at Vancouver Fashion Week FW27 in April 2027.
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