Hermès girls

"In an unseen forest, a realm untouched by any gaze,
the guardian horses stood watch beside the girl.
And when fear finally faded, her voyage quietly began."

The series 〈Sehwa(歲畵): Zodiac New Year Girls Collection〉 reimagines the East Asian zodiac through the visual language of contemporary luxury fashion. Each year, Kang Minjee selects the zodiac animal as a central motif and pairs it with a high-end fashion house whose identity resonates with that animal’s symbolic character.

In previous works, the Year of the Tiger was aligned with the expressive power and charisma of Gucci, while the Year of the Snake found harmony in the sculptural elegance and gem-focused iconography of Bulgari. For the current Year of the Horse, Kang Minjee spotlights Hermès—a maison whose heritage is inseparable from equestrian culture and refined leather craftsmanship. The result is a striking synthesis in which the zodiac’s spirited vitality and the brand’s equestrian legacy naturally reinforce each other.

This reinterpretation draws inspiration from the Korean tradition of “Sehwa (歲畵)”, decorative New Year’s paintings believed to dispel misfortune and usher in auspicious energy. Kang Minjee translates that ancient ritual into a contemporary idiom, allowing zodiac mythology, historical art sensibilities, and modern fashion branding to coexist within a single image—bridging the humorous and the majestic, the sacred and the stylish.

More than simple time markers, the twelve zodiac signs embody the emotional landscape and narrative energy of each year. By fusing these symbolic archetypes with luxury brand identities, Kang Minjee reveals how the human pursuit of fortune, beauty, and cultural meaning continues to evolve across eras. The Year of the Horse x Hermès artwork thus encapsulates the artist’s broader project: reviving the timeless desire for New Year’s blessings through a lens of sophistication, wit, and cultural continuity.