Story · Seoul
The Seoul Atelier
Redefining
Luxury Textiles
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Our Story
In the heart of Seoul, where tradition breathes alongside modernity, Les Collages has spent 19 years turning craft into collections and texture into storytelling.
From a modest office space in 2007 to a name whispered in Parisian fashion houses and the luxury textile industry, Les Collages is more than a textile house—it is a narrative of devotion, discipline, and fearless creativity led by Founder and Creative Textile Designer Kim Younghwa, known to the industry as Nicole Kim.
A serendipitous spark ignited this ascent. Nicole's rare talent caught Karl Lagerfeld's eye within the walls of a Paris studio, a moment that would crystallise into a collaboration already inked in fashion folklore. But the true genesis of Les Collages is rooted in sweat and time—precious hours poured into each piece, each trim, each corsage, each embellishment that would travel from Seoul to the ateliers of Paris and beyond.
The Atelier
Where tradition meets tomorrow
How a single thread can carry memory, how a meticulously chosen motif can evoke emotion, and how patience translates into permanence.
For the first five years, Nicole nurtured a world of handcraft within the walls of a small home studio, where hundreds of hours could yield a single 1m x 1m canvas of texture. It was in those intimate minutes that Les Collages learned the language of luxury—how a single thread can carry memory, how a meticulously chosen motif can evoke emotion, and how patience translates into permanence.
The move from home to atelier marked a turning point: a small but ambitious team grew, and weaving—an art Nicole refined without formal training—became the backbone of a distinct textile vocabulary. Wooden looms woke to the murmur of collaboration, and what began as a dream now carried the discipline of a studio dedicated to excellence.
By 2014, the landscape widened further. Les Collages relocated to a spacious hub, where traditional handlooms, sample looms, and a cadre of 35 artisans translated imagination into tangible luxury. The atelier now produces a diverse array of exclusive handwoven designs—thousands of meters of textiles annually and thousands of new inspirations each year. Nicole remains at the helm of design, curating concepts and selecting premium yarns, guiding a team that translates ambition into exquisite samples with a rare blend of artistry and reliability.
2006
Founded in Seoul by Kim Younghwa (Nicole Kim), beginning in a modest office space with a vision to turn craft into collections.
2006 - 2012
Nicole nurtured a world of handcraft within the walls of a small home studio, where hundreds of hours could yield a single 1m x 1m canvas of texture.
2012
The move from home to atelier marked a turning point. Weaving became the backbone of a distinct textile vocabulary. Wooden looms woke to the murmur of collaboration.
2014
Relocated to a spacious hub with traditional handlooms, sample looms, and a cadre of 35 artisans translating imagination into tangible luxury.
2020
Achieved a defining milestone: became a leading textile supplier in Paris's luxury fashion domain—distinguished through distinctive design, impeccable craftsmanship, and dependable delivery.
Hand-selected harmonies
Premium Yarns
Traditional & semi-automatic
Hand Weaving
Eye and hand, arrival to departure
Quality Inspection
Made-to-order & eco-conscious
Sustainable Practice
This is not merely production; it is a philosophy.
Les Collages has earned its reputation through innovation, meticulous craftsmanship, and the ability to deliver with bold precision. Parisian maisons have recognised the brand's capacity to fuse narrative intensity with technical prowess, a combination that elevates garments from mere fabric to a story you can wear.
The studio's commitment to sustainability runs as deep as its heritage: made-to-order production, responsible design repurposing, and eco-conscious practices underscore a forward-thinking model that respects both the process and the planet.
Les Collages today stands as a beacon of what luxury textiles can be: endlessly creative, relentlessly precise, and profoundly human. Its essence—an unyielding curiosity for beauty, a reverence for handcraft, and a readiness to push boundaries—invites collaborations across the fashion landscape. The brand does not simply supply fabric; it offers a shared journey toward elevated storytelling through texture.
Vision
it is a philosophy.
At Les Collages, textiles are not just fabric—they're a mood, a movement, a whispered luxury. Our studio hums with the founder's devotion to craft, a flame that flickers through every stitch, every shade, every silhouette.
We believe in a universe where work is a sanctuary for inspiration. A healthy, stable atelier isn't a backdrop—it's the oxygen that feeds the imagination, turning raw fibers into wearable poetry. Here, vision and passion aren't mere verbs; they're the DNA of each process, guiding every fold, weave, and finish.
Our philosophy? To design with intention, sustainability, and a quiet arrogance about quality. We sculpt textiles that translate poetry from sketch to garment, so your brand's consumer experiences more than fabric—they experience a story. A fabric that moves with grace, breathes with the body, and lingers in memory—the depth, weight, and texture harmonising with colour and light to enchant from first touch to last gaze.
Les Collages is more than a textile brand. It's a philosophy—a claim to luxury that is rare, deliberate, and unapologetically one-of-a-kind. We invite you to discover a collection that speaks softly yet demands attention, offering partners not just fabric, but a canvas for wonder.
At Les Collages, inspiration is forged in the mind of our founder, crystallising from concept to design development to final woven tweed. Every step is a couture ritual, driven by an obsession to deliver the extraordinary.
From the first spark to the final thread, a relentless pursuit unfolds. Our process is meticulous: we research, we refine, we redefine. Each yarn and colour is hand-selected to harmonise into more than fabric—into a living experience for the wearer. We prioritise skin-friendliness and allergy considerations because elegance should be effortless and inclusive.
The design concept arises from feel and sight—what the eye sees and what the mind conjures. Creation flows from idea to paper to the loom, where hand weaving and careful sampling shape the essence of the final piece. Every roll is inspected by eye and hand, from arrival to departure, ensuring a flawless product that speaks to longevity and integrity.
All creation is born of love and passion, aimed at enduring beauty. Our speciality is textiles that last a lifetime, accruing character as the wearer continues to choose our fabric over time. Since the brand's inception 19 years ago, our textiles have proven that depth, texture, and weight can coexist with lightness, yielding pieces that feel effortless yet elevated.
What sets us apart? A narrative woven into every fibre. Our fabrics carry a story—through inspiration, texture, depth, and weight—that invites the wearer to crave the next creation. In a world of fast fashion, we champion lightness without compromise, delivering ultra-lite fabrics that let the maison dream big without the burden of fabric weight.
From product design to final inspection, every roll is a testament to craft. Hand inspection accompanies meticulous care at every stage, guaranteeing a quality, flawless result. Our tweed is both handwoven and semi-automatic, because true luxury requires the nurturing touch of human hands from start to finish.
