Mik Cire: Exclusive Interview with Eric Kim

The following interview was conducted between Eric Kim and Francesco backstage at Mercedes Fashion Week in New York, just prior to the Mik Cire runway show, Saturday, February 12, 2011.

Eric, it is great to see you again! The last time we met, you told me that you wanted to return to the basics. Have you accomplished this goal within this past year since your debut collection?
Yeah, to a certain degree. With the economic climate, it puts a lot of pressure on the business side of things, in the fact that I do run the operations. It makes it a little different than just being a designer where all I have to think about is design.

But, yeah, I am still going with the same theory. I still believe in the same things. You know, I want to do what I want to do. Regardless to whatever the industry is doing, I want to do what I want to do.

Last year you mentioned that the inspiration of your debut collection was the WWI Dough Boy. Your 2011 spring/summer collection seemed like a deconstructed version of that... Could you elaborate on that collection?
It’s all about comfort in that season. You know, I’m definitely a form and function guy, coming from a big active wear collection. Spring/summer for me was just a lot of form and function.

How about the 2011 autumn/winter collection tonight?
Once again, tailoring is my roots, so I like everything to fit extremely well, extremely fitted. But coming across that issue is the function of everything. You know, you are very restricted to what you can do, movement, and so forth.

So we created what we call the “flex seam” and we put in elastic inside the seaming, which allows everything to give so that you could have a much tailored look but still be able to move.

Especially when you are using cashmeres and high-end fabrics, you can’t add stretch in the actual weaving of the fabric, unless it is manufactured that way. To compensate for that, we put it in the seams.

Where have you found the best reception of your new label?
It’s definitely more on the East Coast; it’s definitely more overseas—they’re a little bit more forward. Obviously the West Coast is more cookie cut. The East Coast is more pushing the threshold.

I’m curious, where overseas…Europe…like London?
You got it!

You told me that you are an adrenaline junkie… So, what has given you your adrenaline rush within the last year?
You know, I used to race downhill mountain bikes. I got back into that this year. So, getting back into my cardio, getting back physically fit—I think are the biggest things for me.

Any closing words for the readers of my magazine in Egypt?
Nothing is going to power up to what has just gone on… The fact that the regime, that he stepped down, is a good thing…as long as the people are happy, I guess.

As far as fashion is concerned, it is truly—I always believe—that it is your own identity. Don’t let anyone dictate that for you. It’s whatever you feel comfortable wearing. You know, if you don’t feel comfortable wearing it, probably you shouldn’t be wearing it.

I don’t ever really tell anyone they should look a certain way. That’s your personal identity. So, just be yourself, whatever you feel comfortable wearing.

Eric, thank you…it has been great!

Have a look at the entire 2011 autumn/winter runway collection here.

Photos Copyright Mik Cire.

Mik Cire at Merceds Benz Fashion Week in New York

Yesterday I attended the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York City, primarily to interview Eric Kim of Mik Cire and preview the Mik Cire 2011 autumn/winter collection.

Founder and former designer of Monarchy, Eric Kim launched his new line of menswear last year with the aim of leaving any sort of commercialization and returning back to the basics.

His debut collection for autumn/winter 2010 drew inspiration from the WWI Dough Boy, whereas his 2011 spring/summer collection featured a deconstructed military look that emphasized ‘relax’.

On the runway yesterday, the Mik Cire 2011 autumn/winter collection continued the theme of a relaxed deconstructed Dough Boy.

The collection consisted of hooded cardigans, double breasted trenches, bandage boots with lots of asymmetry, layering, and assorted furs and leathers.

In a nutshell, the collection was exactly what Eric Kim would wear!

Stay tuned for the exclusive interview with Eric and many more photos of the complete runway show!

See a few preliminary shots here.

Photos 1-4 by Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz, Courtesy Image.net.
Additional photos Copyright Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

New York Fashion Week: Mik Cire Spring 2011

Day 3 Rap-Up: Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, New York

Day 3 of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York featured US menswear designer Eric Kim, whom I interviewed several months ago.

Erica was born in Los Angeles, growing up in the surf and skate culture of California.

In 2004, he founded the Monarchy Collection, and just this year he launched the high-end label, Mik Cire (his name spelled backwards).

For spring/summer 2011, Erik Kim presented a relaxed version of the WWI Dough Boy, which was the undergirding theme of his 2010 autumn/winter collection.

White tees, military tank tops, and loose fitting pants and knickers dominate the male silhouette for spring/summer 2011.

Rather than the aviator revving the motor of his plane, this season presents a casual soldier taking a break from his battles in life.

Because of copyright laws, you must view the collections on my main website where right click is disabled.

ERIC KIM, MIK CIRE & the Doughboy Collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Although the term Doughboy dates back to the 19th century, the obsolete slang term refers to the infantrymen of the U.S. Army during World War I.

From this powerful historic image, Eric Kim drew inspiration for his new menswear line, MIK CIRE, which was recently launched at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

After finishing my exciting interview with Eric Kim last Thursday, I proceeded to the front entrance of the Promenade—the pavilion in which MIK CIRE was to debut.

As I took my seat, the lights dimmed and the music sounded. Then, out stepped the first of many stylish 21st-century Doughboys.

The outerwear of the collection was elegantly rugged in all its fine asymmetry, consisting of pea coats, motorcycle jackets, trench coats, ¾ length coasts, and vests.

Pants also starred in a slim but viril combination of herringbone trousers, cropped trousers, drop-crotch denims, and thermals.

The footwear undergirded the Doughboy look with ankle boots, tall lace-up boots, and spats that covered ankle and instep.

Hoodies, satchels, briefcases, and large duffles completed the collection, while suspenders dangling from the hip and/or a scarf from a pant pocket heightened the emotional effect!

The color palette brilliantly intertwined multiple shades of black, grey, charcoal, taupe, and olive.

The materials provided richness in texture as they abounded in lambskin, cashmere, twill, poplin, flannel, terry, and quilted wool.

MIK CIRE—the collection that Eric Kim would wear!



Photo right & slideshow 2010 autumn/winter MIK CIRE collection, Copyright Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
Photo top left WWI Doughboy by David Ball, Public Domain at Wikipedia.

Behind-the-Scenes Interview with Eric Kim at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Yesterday I wrote that I had been granted an exclusive backstage interview with Eric Kim, which I am honored to bring to you today:

“Eric, I want to thank you for your time before your debut here at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week. It is a great pleasure to interview you and I thank you on behalf of all the readers of Men’s Fashion by Francesco.

I know a little about you from your work at the Monarchy Collection, so I would like to begin with the question, ‘What motivated you to start this new line?’
I just wanted to do something that I wanted to do. I think when you become corporate, it gets to a point where you have to start designing for the commercial end of things. As for me, I really want to do things the way I wanted to do them. I want to get back to the roots and I just want to be happy.

What led you to name the new line MIK CIRE?
It’s actually my name. It’s my name backwards. You spell it backwards and you get Eric Kim.

How would you describe the MIK CIRE look?
Like a very dark World War I dough boy. It’s got a lot of inspiration from the World War I uniforms and so forth, but obviously by implementing colors that work for fashion.

Who is the MIK CIRE kind of guy?
The guy who is a little bit more forward. Obviously with the last line that I did, it was much more commercial. This is just something that is me—something I would wear. This is my wardrobe: not the usual stuff that you walk down the street in looking like the same Joe.

How does MIK CIRE differ from Monarchy?
In the beginning it was like that. When a company gets to a certain stage, I think it gets knocked off or to a point where everything starts to get bastardized, in a sense. It’s good to start fresh. So this is like a new invention, just a phase of my life. This is a look that I am at right now.

Will you still work with Monarchy?
No, actually I have just completely resigned from there. This is now a new venture. Like I said, I want to do stuff the way I want to do it. It’s really important.

I understand that you grew up in the surf and skate culture of Southern California…
Correct.

…and also that you are a car and motorcycle aficionado.
Correct.

How do these interests affect you as a designer?
For me, they are a release. I don’t think I’m an adrenaline junkie or anything like that. But they’re exciting for me and, for me, that’s the fun part of it. But so is designing, like designing furniture. I designed my home: I designed the house, the furniture, and so forth. My cars, even. My motorcycles. They’re all custom built and I designed them myself. All these things come together in some way; but as far as extreme sports, they’re my release—the way I release stress.

Does being an Asian American have any influence on your designs?
I don’t look really at it that way, and I have never really looked at it that way. I know a lot of people do: I have been asked that question many times. We’re just all the same. Since I am born here, I would say that I am more western as far as my culture goes. As far as my roots go, I am more eastern. But obviously style wise, it’s much more western.

Do you find it competitive working in the LA Fashion District?
I don’t want to knock LA— It’s not too competitive, I would say. Actually, I spent my last 20 years in the garment area, and now I work out of my house. I set up an office and I built it out of there.

What prompted you to learve the garment area?
I’ve been on the creative side for a very long time, and I know what it takes to be creative.But being in an environment like that just sucks it right out of you. So I needed an environment—and I wanted to create an environment—that was very cohesive to the way creative people think. I think doing it from my house was that. It is a very free environment. You don’t have the fulfillments. You don’t see the shipping and all the money transactions. You don’t hear or see any of that. I think it is really important having that type of energy around you.

Let’s talk about interests... What music do you like?
Oh God, I like everything. Music is like a true art. Clothing to me is more of a design, whereas music is an art. It’s an emotion. When you listen to certain music—like, you might want to listen to Shade, which are love songs—it’s more you feeling sad or inspired or in love or whatever. You listen to hip hop because you want to feel a certain mood. When you go to a club to listen to certain music, you want to feel that way. It’s truly the mood that I’m in, which determines the music at that moment. So if I am depressed, I listen to a soft slow song. That’s truly how I would see it.

Does music influence your designs at all?
It doesn’t inspire my designing in any way at all. I think designing clothing is not an art form. It’s not that compelling. It’s not as moving. It’s not as powerful as music. Music actually gives you the emotions; it makes you feel a certain way. I don’t see that clothing actually can do that for you. It’s a bit more superficial, I would say, to a certain degree. But it’s reality. Its life.

Any final words for the readers?
Just do what you love, you know?! It’s your life. As far as I know, when the lights go out, the lights go out. So I know I have this one life. You don’t want to go through life doing something that you don’t want to do. You just gotta go for it and live the life that you want to live and don’t let anything stop you.

Thank you, Eric, and much success to you!”

For more on Eric Kim and MIK CIRE, please refer to the following articles:
Eric Kim Debuts MIK CIRE at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
ERIC KIM MIK CIRE & Mercedes Benz Fashion Week
ERIC KIM, MIK CIRE & the Doughboy Collection at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Photos Copyright Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.

ERIC KIM, MIK CIRE & Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Last night I took the train to New York City, enjoyed a lovely Chinese dinner with a friend, and trekked around the corner to the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week at Bryant Park to view Eric Kim’s newest line of menswear—MIK CIRE.

I had been granted an exclusive backstage interview, so several hours before the show I appeared at the backdoor of the great white tent, picked up my press pass, and was escorted by the PR rep to the backstage area.

Blasting music energized the pavilion as Eric tested the sound system and lighting effects of the Promenade. A maze of boxes filled the pavilion, as the new collection was wheeled in on racks. Models filtered into the dress areas as make-up artists and hairstylists took their places under stationed bright lights.

Finally, a slender young man dressed in a chic black ninja silhouette approached me; the PR rep introduced us. After briefly stating that I was the editor of the 1st and only menswear magazine in Egypt, as well as the Francesco of Men’s Fashion by Francesco, I turned on my hand-held recorder and got down to business.

I am delighted to be more acquainted with Eric Kim, a young multi-talented designer who has numerous personal facets to explore. Although I had only scratched the surface of Eric’s depth and rich deposit of creativity, I walked away with an added appreciation of this designer’s amazing wealth of knowledge and experience.

Stay tuned for the entire interview so that you too may be better acquainted with ERIC KIM, whose reflection is MIK CIRE!

Enjoy the show! You can also check out the new 2010 autumn/winter collection here.



Video Copyright Mercedes Benz Fashion Week.
Photo Press Permission, Copyright Getty Images at Image.net.

Eric Kim Debuts MIK CIRE at Mercedes Benz Fashion Week

Born and raised in Los Angeles, Eric Kim grew up in the skate and surf culture of Southern California, turning into an avid car and motorcycle aficionado.

Passionate about architecture and construction, Eric dreamed from a young age of a career in furniture design. Soon, however, he realized that big plans would not fit into a small niche market.

After graduating from the Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising in Los Angeles, Eric worked as a design assistant for several labels. Not long after, he established several of his own labels, which turned lucrative overnight.

Eventually Eric teamed up with garment producer and importer, Henry Kim, who shared much in common, and in 2004 the label Monarchy Collection was born.

Who wears the Monarchy Collection? Celebrities ranging from Mark Wahlberg, Ryan Seacrest, Usher, Slash, Jeremy Piven, Tyrese Gibson, Jake Gyllenhall, and more!

Eric Kim has now ventured into a new line of high-end, contemporary menswear called MIK CIRE (his name spelled backwards), the 2010 autum/winter collection of which will debut tomorrow at the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week in New York.

I am extremely excited to have received not only a guest pass to the debut but also a backstage interview with Eric!

Enjoy this video of Monarchy’s 2010 spring/summer collection as it bids farewell to Eric Kim:



Photo Copyright Monarchy Collection.