From New York to Antwerp, fashion designer Kié Lee: “Loneliness allows me to focus”

Basel-born Kié Lee founded her brand, Kié Einzelgänger, in New York in 2016, moving it to Antwerp three years later. She now feels at home among the influential circles of Raf Simons, Ann Demeulemeester and Jurgi Persoons. Her work also carries a hint of that distinct Belgian signature.

Lee, now in her thirties, draws creative strength from loneliness. This is evident in the extensive use of black in her work and the strong silhouettes that speak for themselves. This visual language has led to an ongoing collaboration with Yohji Yamamoto for his avant-garde sub-label, Wildside, since 2022.

At the Antwerp fashion festival, which begins on June 4, Lee will present an art installation titled “Evidence”: screen prints on silk shirts and fabrics, with self-portraits as the motif.

Was Antwerp an immediate match? Is the energy different from New York?

New York is a wonderful city. I still miss it. However, running a studio there is difficult. The exorbitant rent for such a small space is simply not feasible. A designer needs high ceilings and large floors to be able to see everything at a glance. I began to consider leaving.

I was also going through bankruptcy at that time. I was 23 when I started a business in New York. Fashion is a huge investment, so it is self-explanatory how that turned out.

Restarting in Antwerp felt right immediately. I arrived with two suitcases. The city became a safe, creative home for me. I feel a sense of loneliness here, which allows me to focus. The people are friendly. As a child of the 21st century, I can remain internationally connected. I think I will stay here.

You mention loneliness as something constructive.

For me, loneliness does not equate to sadness. I was born in Switzerland, then moved to Korea and New York; I have been through a lot. It was challenging in the beginning, but that phase has passed. I need solitude now. I feel uncomfortable when I do not have that time to myself.

In the early years of your brand, you travelled to Japan a lot.

I have long admired Japanese designers from the eighties and nineties. That is what brought me to Japan when I was twenty. I wanted to know where those great pieces came from and who made them. I was fortunate enough to work directly with fabric suppliers. The quality they produce is unparalleled, particularly the dyes; the colour gradations are different.

In wholesale, a designer has to wait six months to be paid. There are good factories in New York. However, surviving there is difficult. The minimum order quantities are unrealistic, and you never know if they will meet a deadline or if you will have to cancel the entire order. I needed someone I could trust.

I have now built relationships with production and sourcing partners in Japan for almost nine years. I have stayed with them because my audience is from that same era (the 80s and 90s). They recognise that quality and expect it from me. Even after import duties, the prices remain surprisingly accessible. There is really no reason to stop. As the brand grows, however, I will need to diversify and work with sourcing partners in Europe.

I have learned a great deal from the Japanese way of working; they are so disciplined and precise. They genuinely contribute to discussions about my future as a designer, without making empty promises.

How was it working with Yohji Yamamoto?

I was 23 when we met. It was a very generous gesture for such an established brand to give a young designer that opportunity. I learned a tremendous amount from that attitude alone. I was wearing his clothes in New York when a team member noticed me. I was introduced to the director, who asked if I had ever attended the Paris show. I was at Parsons and busy with my studies, but I decided to go. I spent three thousand dollars and lost my passport to a pickpocket on the first day. Nevertheless, I had to be there.

The unity within Yamamoto's team was almost spiritual; everyone was working towards the same goal. That inspired me. There is so much emotion behind this type of work, yet they ensured it was completed.

You are now working on Wild Side Volume 5. How is the creative process going?

With this project, Yamamoto aims to bring together emerging and established brands and artists. We meet in Paris and Japan. The process is lengthy. I send patterns, fabric and prototypes back and forth. We communicate primarily by email.

The work has become more demanding over the years as the industry moves faster. I do not take holidays. I cannot remember the last time I truly relaxed. However, I am happy.

You obtained a master's degree in visual arts from the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in 2022 — quite late in your career.

I turned to art because I was creatively stuck. Photography is a second passion of mine. My mentor recommended a Nikon ZF-C. Since then, I have taken a self-portrait almost every week. I then began printing them on clothing. That is a craft in itself. Last year, I had to go to Japan to understand the process: how sensitive the material is to heat and how to wash it. Visual arts enabled me to continue growing.

What will you be showing at the Antwerp Fashion Festival?

At the festival, my original screen prints and garments featuring the same photography will be on display at Tommy Simoens' contemporary art gallery. He is also from New York, so we connected instantly when we met last year.

My first series of prints dates from 2023. I spent two years developing this technique. I collaborated with a 63-year-old Japanese artist who is exceptionally skilled. I gave him my series of self-portraits, which he retouched, and then I screen-printed them. I also dyed the paper to resemble an artefact from the Showa period, from the twenties to the forties, which is a great obsession of mine.

You are now in your thirties. What have you learned about your craft and profession?

I have learned the importance of having people around who challenge you, whether they make you angry, hurt you, sadden you, or cause you to doubt yourself. That is the only way to remain hungry for the next step. For this reason, I have consciously surrounded myself with people I admire.

Later, I realised how crucial efficiency is. Not everyone can sustain this kind of disciplined, creative life. I therefore devised what I call my “pie slice system” as a way to survive.

I divide my day into sections. I start with the most realistic matters: figures, finances and results. First, I face reality. Then, I practise skills such as languages or new techniques to keep learning. At the end of that cycle, I allow myself to explore the impossible, brainstorming creative ideas that are not realistic.

I plan my “pie” while exercising. I get up at four or five o'clock every day, start moving immediately, and then decide what I will do that day. I also go to bed early.

Why is confronting reality so important to you?

Fashion is not art; it is a business, and we have to sell it. I think it was different in the eighties. There was something spiritual about it. I believe art and fashion can coexist. However, we must accept that luxury and art are also commercial enterprises. Otherwise, they will become disconnected from one another.

Given the immense pressure on the profession today, is a fashion degree still sufficient?

I studied for my bachelor's degree in fashion at Parsons in New York. It is a great programme; they teach you how to build a CV and find a job. I saw interviews with European fashion students who were very articulate about themselves. They were more reflective and their arguments more substantiated, which was an experience I wanted. That is why I went to the academy. For three years, I studied surrealism and dadaism, which became my focus. I learned how to talk about myself, and that is incredibly important.

How do you continue to educate yourself?

I want to delve deeper into the research I have previously focused on. Tomorrow, I will be screen printing, which to me feels like pursuing a doctorate. I am learning new techniques, creating new things, and I can immediately share the results with my audience on Instagram. That is my current method of learning. Later, I will consider a proper PhD, as I am certain I will face a creative block again at some point.