The Orient Series - Part 1: Mr. Heo Bro - South Korea

As we explore and discover different brands from Asia, we come across individuals who inspire us with their style, passion and dedication to their craft. "The Orient Series" was created so we can share with you the stories of Asian craftsmen and their aspirations.

Mr. Heo Bro is gentleman of craftsmanship, through his digital drawings and illustrations. Based in South Korea, Mr. Bro drew the illustrations of the founders of The Suitcase, Johnny and Tom. We had the pleasure of interviewing Mr. Bro, to understand his inspiration, art, and personal style.

1. What got you into drawing men's fashion?

어릴때 부터 남자 패션과 스포츠에 관심이 많았다. 특히 모자, 운동화, 데님, 필드자켓, NBA카드, NBA포스터에 관심이 많아서 학생시절에 돈을 힘들게 모아 쇼핑을 하러 다닌 기억이 있다. 남자 패션그림, 캐릭커쳐를 취미로 몇번 그린적은 있었는데, 반응이 좋아서 작년부터 SNS계정에 꾸준히 업로드 하기로 결정했다.

From an early age, I developed a passion for men's fashion and sports. I was particularly interested in hats, sneakers, denim, field jackets, NBA cards and NBA posters. I remember laboriously saving money to buy these things for myself. On occasion, I would draw fashion for men and character designs as a hobby sand would receive good feedback, so I decided to regularly upload these to my SNS account since last year.

2. Where do you get your inspiration for your art?

90년대 미국/일본의 문화, 예술, 만화에서 많은 영감을 받는다. 약간 빈티지한 컬러무드와 굵기가 다른 라인의 그림들이 그런 영감들 때문에 그려지는것 같다. 어렸을때 많이 봐서 그런것 같다. 

A lot of my inspiration comes from American and Japanese 90's culture, art and comics. It seems that my drawings have a slight vintage colour scheme with varying line thicknesses because of such inspirations. I think this is due to seeing this a lot during my younger days.

3. How would you describe your personal fashion style?

밀리터리 필드자켓(m-65, jungle fatigue)을 너무 좋아해서 다양하게 활용하고 있다. 구두와 넥타이에 입기도 하고, 운동화와 스웻셔츠에도 자주 입는다. polo ralph lauren, new balance, redwing, levis, eastlogue(korea brand)를 좋아한다. 밀리터리웨어, 아웃도어, 워크웨어, 아이비리그 등 역사와 스토리가 담겨진 패션에 재미를 느낀다.

Because I like the military field jacket (m-65, jungle fatigue) so much, I use it in many varieties. I sometimes wear these on shoes and ties, and often on sneakers and sweatshirts. My favourite brands are Polo Ralph Lauren, New Balance, Redwing, Levis, and Eastlogue (a Korean brand). I enjoy applying fashion with historical sentiment and compelling stories such as military wear, outdoor wear, workwear, and Ivy League.

4. How would you describe men's fashion style in Korea?

한국 남성들도 점점 평균적으로 패션에 관심이 많아지고 있다.  패션브랜드들도 많아지고 sns, youtube 등이 많이 사용되면서 정보가 많아져서 그런것 같다. 엄청 특이하고 개성이 있는 스타일보다는 미니멀한 캐쥬얼룩을 많이 입는것 같다.

Korean men are generally becoming more and more interested in fashion. I think this is because there are more fashion brands and the widespread availability and accessibility of information on mediums such as SNS and YouTube. My usual fashion portrayal expresses a minimalistic and casual style, which is what I like to wear often rather than an outspoken and unique style.

5. Name 3 of your favourite brands out of Korea.

이스트로그 Eastlogue, 헤리티지 플로스 Heritage Floss, and 언어펙티드 Unaffected.

6. What are the top 3 places you would recommend to someone who is travelling to Korea?

1. Seoul, the capital of South Korea, Busan.

2. South Korea's flagship port city.

3. Jeju Island, where its natural beauty only brings a smile to your face.

Check out Mr. Heo Bro's illustrations and drawings on his Instagram, @brosdiary_86.