EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWEXCLUSIVE INTERVIEWSfeaturedInterviewinterviewsMILAN LOVES SEOULMILAN LOVES SEOUL 2025
Exclusive Interview with Marcella Di Simone and Ylenia Basagni — Founders of Milan Loves Seoul
A cultural bridge between Italian elegance and Korean innovation, where empathy becomes the new elegance.
Born from a desire to connect two worlds through creativity, emotion, and artistry, Milan Loves Seoul is far more than a fashion project; it’s a living dialogue between cultures. Founded by Marcella Di Simone and Ylenia Basagni, the platform unites the soul of Italian craftsmanship with the boldness of Korean innovation, celebrating beauty as a shared language of empathy, truth, and collaboration.
In this exclusive interview with OTS Magazine, Marcella and Ylenia open up about their vision, values, and the quiet revolution of turning fashion into a bridge, not just between cities, but between hearts.
For our UK and international readers discovering Milan Loves Seoul for the first time, could you share the story behind how it all began?
Milan Loves Seoul was born from a desire to build a real bridge — not just between two cities, but between two ways of feeling fashion. The project began during Milan Fashion Week 2024, when we realised how naturally Korean creativity and Italian elegance could speak the same language. It started as a dream, almost naïve, and then evolved into a collective movement where designers, artists, and brands exchange ideas, aesthetics, and emotions.
When you first envisioned Milan and Seoul in conversation, what emotional spark or vision ignited this connection?
It was curiosity — and tenderness, too. Milan and Seoul are both fast-paced, ambitious, and deeply rooted in beauty. We imagined them as two souls who finally recognize each other, finding harmony in their contrasts. That emotional spark was about creating dialogue instead of distance.
If Milan Loves Seoul had a soul, how would you describe it, its energy, tone, and heartbeat?
Its soul is intuitive, feminine, and brave. It has the heartbeat of collaboration, the tone of artistry, and the energy of discovery. It’s elegant but never cold, emotional but never fragile. Milan Loves Seoul feels like an embrace that travels through light, sound, and texture.
Your project blends two worlds with such grace. How has this journey reshaped your own sense of cultural identity or creative voice?
It made us softer and stronger at the same time. Working between Italy and Korea constantly challenges our perception of beauty and discipline. We’ve learned that identity is not a fixed shape, it’s movement, translation, and empathy. Our creative voice now speaks two languages, not only linguistically but also emotionally.
What advice would you give to someone looking to venture into the fashion and creative industry, especially those seeking to build something meaningful rather than just successful?
Don’t chase visibility — chase truth. Build something that resonates with who you are, even if it takes time. Success is fragile when it’s only aesthetic; meaning is what lasts. Collaborate, listen, and protect your curiosity.
As curators, you balance intuition and precision. How do you know when a designer or brand truly embodies the spirit of Milan Loves Seoul?
When their work carries honesty. You can feel it immediately—in the way they talk about their craft, the way they touch fabric, or the way they look at the world. The spirit of Milan Loves Seoul isn’t about perfection; it’s about coherence between intention and emotion.
Both Italy and Korea value craftsmanship and storytelling deeply. What do you think each culture teaches the other when their aesthetics meet?
Italy teaches Korea the art of timeless simplicity. Korea teaches Italy the courage of experimentation. When they meet, they create something that feels both rooted and futuristic — an elegance that breathes.
Sustainability in your work seems to go beyond materials. It feels emotional and human. How do you define it through experience, story, or intention?
For us, sustainability is emotional continuity. It’s the ability to care — for people, for stories, for beauty that lasts longer than a season. True sustainability means respect: for what we create and for what we decide not to waste. And also create inclusivity; that’s why our event is in part open to the public during the fashion weeks.
Fashion often mirrors society’s transformation. What do you hope Milan Loves Seoul is whispering about the future of global creativity?
We hope Milan Loves Seoul whispers about a future where creativity replaces competition and empathy becomes the new elegance. We really believe in this.
In a world obsessed with trends, how do you define timelessness within your collaborations?
For us, timelessness comes from design integrity and cultural relevance rather than trend cycles. When a collaboration reflects strong values — craftsmanship, innovation, and authenticity — it naturally resists obsolescence. We select brands and creatives whose work maintains a clear identity and narrative coherence, so even as styles evolve, their essence remains recognizable. Timelessness, in that sense, is the ability to stay meaningful across different moments, not just visible.
Your project connects people through beauty. In an increasingly digital and divided world, what role do you believe fashion plays in emotional reconnection?
Fashion remains one of the few creative languages capable of generating real, physical connection. In a time dominated by screens and algorithms, it brings people back to presence — through texture, craftsmanship, and shared experiences. Whether it’s a show, a pop-up, or a collaboration, fashion creates spaces where people meet, exchange, and recognize themselves in a collective narrative. It reminds us that beauty is not only visual; it’s also relational: this is why we create “in-person” events.
How do you balance your roles as curators and visionaries between intuition and strategy, and between emotion and precision?
It’s a crazy dance. Intuition opens the path; strategy makes it sustainable. We often move between moments of pure instinct and long hours of structure. The balance comes from trust — in the team (our strongest power), in the process, and in what cannot be planned.
You both have created something beautiful. What is your personal definition of women’s empowerment, and how do you express or encourage it through your platform?
For me, empowerment means confidence with empathy — the ability to lead with both strength and sensitivity. Through Milan Loves Seoul, we promote a kind of leadership that values collaboration over hierarchy. Our team is predominantly composed of women, each bringing her own vision and voice. At the same time, we believe in balance: having men in the team as allies and associates creates a healthy dynamic based on mutual respect and shared purpose. True empowerment, in our view, is not about exclusion but about building spaces where everyone can thrive and be heard.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Just gratitude. Milan Loves Seoul exists because of people who believed in something intangible — a connection between cultures, a dialogue between hearts. Every edition is a reminder that beauty, when shared, multiplies.
Milan Loves Seoul @milanloveseoul
website – milanlovessoul.com
Follow us for more updates – @otsmagazineuk
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