Seoul Fashion Week has operated largely within and around the stark, futuristic curves of the Dongdaemun Design Plaza for the last 12 years, serving as an industry-facing platform for buyers, press and domestic designers. But as global demand for Korean style and pop culture continues to surge, the capital’s flagship fashion event is stepping out into the open city air. The Seoul Metropolitan Government said Wednesday that the upcoming Spring/Summer 2027 Seoul Fashion Week, running Sept. 1 to 6, will expand its footprint beyond its traditional home at DDP to include the grounds of Lotte World Tower, the nation’s tallest skyscraper in southeastern Seoul. The strategic shift is designed to bridge commercial industry demands with direct-to-consumer experiences, turning a traditionally trade-focused gathering into a citywide public festival. Under the dual-venue arrangement, DDP will remain the anchor for high-end designer showcases and business-to-business commerce, hosting 17 runway shows, eight brand presentations and a trade show featuring 97 labels. Designers long central to the ev