— With the number of South Korean collectors and emerging design voices on a steady uptick, Design Miami has decided to tap into Seoul’s potential.

On Monday, the global collectible design forum’s chief executive officer Jen Roberts told WWD that the 14-day exhibition will be held Sept. 1 to Sept. 14 in the Zaha Hadid-designed Dongdaemun Design Plaza, a landmark in Seoul. Situated in the heart of the nation’s capital, Dongdaemun Design Plaza often hosts major fashion shows and exhibits.

“Our Seoul exhibition will be a thoughtful curation spotlighting the pioneering voices who have shaped the Korean collectible design landscape. Featuring a dynamic blend of historic and contemporary works, the exhibit will create a dialogue between traditional craft and cutting-edge experimentation,” Roberts said.

The exhibition will be curated by Hyeyoung Cho, who is chair of the Korea Association of Art & Design, the oldest academic association for art, design, and craft in Korea.

Inspired by the Korean term jo-myeong, meaning to illuminate, the exhibition will trace Korea’s design roots and its evolution within the global collectible design arena.

The South Korean exhibition is part of Design Miami’s 20th anniversary celebration and new initiative Design Miami.In Situ. The roster of events aims to honor the pioneering collectible design galleries and visionary designers who have shaped Design Miami’s evolution, while also looking ahead to the future and far-reaching impact of design. The Design Miami.In Situ roster will kick off with an intimate one-day event in Aspen July 31, hosted in partnership with Range Rover, and will run alongside Aspen Art Museum’s annual live auction, Art Crush.

Roberts said Design Miami has observed an increased convergence between design and other luxury industries like fashion. Cross-industry collaborations are driving the collectible design market, making it one of the “most rapidly expanding” luxury markets of all, she noted.

“We are seeing increased convergence between collectible design and other luxury industries — particularly with luxury fashion houses showing up more and more in the collectible design landscape. This cross-pollination not only enriches the creative potential and output of our industry, but also broadens the financial foundation of the market bringing with it a broader audience reach.”

In 2024, Miami Design District launched NEO Miami Design District, a rotating 7,200-square-foot pop-up that spotlights emerging fashion brands on a rotating basis. The initiative offers emerging designers a platform to showcase their creativity and talent. 

NEO Miami Design District will serve as a port of entry for national and international brands looking to enter the Miami market and connect with a new audience.

In addition to its Paris edition, Design Miami expanded in 2024 with the first edition in Los Angeles and Basel, Switzerland.