An anonymous group of people from South Korea who worked in different fields gathered to create Ader Error, a brand that aims to spread art and culture through fashion. Their approach is collective and horizontal, and their main inspirations come from everyday moments as well as imperfection, which they perceive as an attractive point. We talk with them to know how’s the emerging fashion scene in the Asian country, their future plans, and how does a young brand like theirs expand thanks to social media.
Could you please tell us more about Ader Error’s community? Who are you? And where does the name of your collective come from?
Ader Error was launched in December 2014 by a team from diverse fields who gathered to make something creative and fun. We created the brand to communicate with people through our contemporary, minimal, but easy contents based on cool fashion. Our brand slogan is ‘But near missed things’ because our main inspiration is based on normal, everyday things; we look around and get inspired by them.
We believe in the importance of editing oneself. We usually make normal things abnormal; we turn complex things into something easy and friendly because we want people to experience art, fashion and culture. Basically, we wanted to share all the things we did, do and will keep doing. The first category of it was fashion. What’s next? Who knows?
About the name of our brand, here’s the explanation: A is for aesthetic; D is for drawing; er is for people (who do something). So the result is ‘people who do something aesthetic’. ‘Error’ means something negative such as a failure, a mistake. Nothing and no one can be perfect. At this point, we reinterpret ‘error’ as an expression of imperfection. We think there is an absolutely attractive point in there, so we take it as the second name for the brand.
We believe in the importance of editing oneself. We usually make normal things abnormal; we turn complex things into something easy and friendly because we want people to experience art, fashion and culture. Basically, we wanted to share all the things we did, do and will keep doing. The first category of it was fashion. What’s next? Who knows?
About the name of our brand, here’s the explanation: A is for aesthetic; D is for drawing; er is for people (who do something). So the result is ‘people who do something aesthetic’. ‘Error’ means something negative such as a failure, a mistake. Nothing and no one can be perfect. At this point, we reinterpret ‘error’ as an expression of imperfection. We think there is an absolutely attractive point in there, so we take it as the second name for the brand.
Tell us about the uprising fashion scene in South Korea. How would you describe it? Where do you consider yourself within Seoul’s fashion scene? And how would you explain the rapid growth of South Korean fashion through the last years?
Comparing nowadays with the past, we can see that there are many more channels through which a brand can show and communicate itself; there were a lot of limitations before. Nevertheless, some South Korean labels have strengthened and hardened their foundation during the past few years, and they take the opportunity to rise, mostly thanks to the rise of K-Culture as well as the development of social network services and new technologies – which Koreans are very good at.
Your garments always feature voluminous and oversized shapes spotlighted by sumptuous colour palettes. Tell us about the main sources of inspirations of Ader Error. What influences you on a regular basis? Any other designer, muse, artist, etc.?
As well as by the change of gender roles, we’re inspired by the development of new technologies and social network services. This kind of cultural flow makes people pay more attention to the cut, the silhouette, the colour and the material instead of gender-specific categorizations, also because it makes people think objectively and unglues them from binary and vertical thinking. But, of course, we mainly focus on unisex characteristics more than on gender issues.
We have a plan to refine and subdivide our designs through Ader DNA. As everyone knows, inspiration comes from what we see and experience. That is to say everything around us: food, furniture, art, people and culture (and all the different ones). We focus on making these things minimal and different to show people something interesting.
We have a plan to refine and subdivide our designs through Ader DNA. As everyone knows, inspiration comes from what we see and experience. That is to say everything around us: food, furniture, art, people and culture (and all the different ones). We focus on making these things minimal and different to show people something interesting.
How would you define Ader Error’s perfect wearer?
We mainly make unisex clothes. If we had to say who’s a perfect wearer for our brand, it’s maybe artists because they can express their thoughts more freely.
How do you handle the sharing of the work within the team? Has each member of the collective his/her respective role? How do you classify the ideas of each one while working on a new collection?
Every day, week, and month, we have a short debate to make, collect and edit all ideas for the ongoing projects at that time. It can include an idea for the main collection as well as a very tiny agenda. Every crew can talk about anything, from design, sales and customer service. It’s a totally open system because if we set limitations and just consider reality as a priority above all else we can’t work and imagine.
The most important point is that when we design, we also focus on the marketing and the styling from our own sensibility at the same time. The first step consists of gathering everyone’s inspiration for the new collection or some creative project and do brainstorming. If the concept is set, we think and experiment more with it – and with other concepts related to the main one. Next, we communicate with our inner selves and connect with these experiences lived. Then, we start designing, making the story, and living in the concept of the new collection. That makes us speak with one voice as a team.
The most important point is that when we design, we also focus on the marketing and the styling from our own sensibility at the same time. The first step consists of gathering everyone’s inspiration for the new collection or some creative project and do brainstorming. If the concept is set, we think and experiment more with it – and with other concepts related to the main one. Next, we communicate with our inner selves and connect with these experiences lived. Then, we start designing, making the story, and living in the concept of the new collection. That makes us speak with one voice as a team.
Your capsule collections seem to feature as many pieces as your main collections. Tell us about their role among others. And how do you manage to produce so many clothes?
It depends on the situation, there is no rule or fixed scale. Sometimes, it can be made to support the storytelling of the main collection, and sometimes, for collaboration with others and often for expression of what we’d like to tell at that time.
As a basic line, we operate exclusive collection, Significant Tag Collection which are composed of our signature shape of sweatshirts, hoodies, outerwear and basic accessories.
As a basic line, we operate exclusive collection, Significant Tag Collection which are composed of our signature shape of sweatshirts, hoodies, outerwear and basic accessories.
Your brand offers also a full range of lovely accessories. How important is it for you to conceive accessories as well as clothing?
Accessories are very important because people can style them their own way to tell something, which means they can express their identity more easily. Also, the price range – of socks and headwear, for example – is more reasonable than the one of clothing. But we don’t want to create meaningless pieces just for sale; we create a story, we tell it, and people understand it, feel sympathy and experience our brand as a whole.
Otherwise, you have a huge number of followers on Instagram. Could you please speak about the social media impact for your brand? How has your active communication on social media helped you to build your universe and identity? And do you think that a good communication on social media is now essential to succeed in fashion?
Of course, no one can deny the power of social media in the digital age. We think they are the best platform and tool for anything at this stage. The thing is that we already knew it and made a plan for this upcoming flow. What else could we do? Someone may copy our designs, but they can’t copy our brain or identity.
We have focused on our contents a lot: the ones on the webpage convey the message we want to spread around the world. There is no space-time limitation when you’re online, which is very good. But we’ve also wanted to make something to communicate offline: our first flagship store in Seoul. In the near future, we’ll introduce more projects related to space, art and culture.
We have focused on our contents a lot: the ones on the webpage convey the message we want to spread around the world. There is no space-time limitation when you’re online, which is very good. But we’ve also wanted to make something to communicate offline: our first flagship store in Seoul. In the near future, we’ll introduce more projects related to space, art and culture.
What are your biggest challenges as a collective of designers from South Korea?
Actually, we’re very interested in creative contents and space. In Korea, the biggest challenge is the distribution channel and its connections in retail. But what is the answer to this? An online platform. Also, regarding space, we can say that we plan to expand our business worldwide, although we can’t reveal much yet.
What can we expect from Ader Error’s next collections? Any collaboration coming up next?
We’ll keep working as we always do, but we’re also trying to do things that we’ve never done before. Also, we’d love to have a positive impact on people worldwide, to create our own culture and spread it. There are interesting projects coming: more stores, collaborations with brands, etc.
