A tiny accessory can make a big difference to your look. And button covers, an innovative accessory reborn out of Korea’s contemporary jewelry brand MIK, may serve the purpose.

The brand’s CEO and designer, Lim Dong Wook, revealed that button covering originally began in the West but was largely forgotten. He reintroduced it to the fashion world and through the brand’s name, which stands for Made In Korea, he hoped people would know it was coming from Korea.

“Since button covering is not widely known, I would like to reach out to people with familiar stories and try to diversify the style and form of my work,” he said when showing visitors a video of his button-cover-making process at his studio on Gyedong Street. It was one of the designers’ studios that opened its doors to visitors during the recent Seoul Design Spot.

In his work, he collaborated with artists of various backgrounds to create something new.

The designer, who majored in metal craft in college, believed tradition lasted forever, making him want to discover something old and make a career out of it.

He decided to devote his passion to creating button covers after his professor told him that covered buttons used to be accessories. He later created his pieces and won a prize.

And he found people’s reaction to his creations, such as when taking part in festivals abroad, like in Los Angeles, London and Osaka, fascinating. He recently signed an exclusive contract with a fashion company in Prague and more.

Soon, other designers were making similar products but Dong Wook, probably Korea’s first and only button-cover designer, did not mind since it means the market for such accessories is growing.

(JP/Stevie Emilia)

A tiny accessory can make a big difference to your look. And button covers, an innovative accessory reborn out of Korea'€™s contemporary jewelry brand MIK, may serve the purpose.

The brand'€™s CEO and designer, Lim Dong Wook, revealed that button covering originally began in the West but was largely forgotten. He reintroduced it to the fashion world and through the brand'€™s name, which stands for Made In Korea, he hoped people would know it was coming from Korea.

'€œSince button covering is not widely known, I would like to reach out to people with familiar stories and try to diversify the style and form of my work,'€ he said when showing visitors a video of his button-cover-making process at his studio on Gyedong Street. It was one of the designers'€™ studios that opened its doors to visitors during the recent Seoul Design Spot.

In his work, he collaborated with artists of various backgrounds to create something new.

The designer, who majored in metal craft in college, believed tradition lasted forever, making him want to discover something old and make a career out of it.

He decided to devote his passion to creating button covers after his professor told him that covered buttons used to be accessories. He later created his pieces and won a prize.

And he found people'€™s reaction to his creations, such as when taking part in festivals abroad, like in Los Angeles, London and Osaka, fascinating. He recently signed an exclusive contract with a fashion company in Prague and more.

Soon, other designers were making similar products but Dong Wook, probably Korea'€™s first and only button-cover designer, did not mind since it means the market for such accessories is growing.