Ambush

For Yoon Ahn, it all started when she met her companion, a Japanese hip-hop star with whom she moved to the US after studying in Boston. He was popular and moved in a circle of influential friends. She had a keen eye for fashion and liked to play with styles. As he looked to accessorise his stage outfits, the Korean-American designer began to create decadent and stylish jewellery for him to wear. The pieces quickly impressed the rapper's relatives and caught the eye of Pharrell Williams and Ye (still Kanye West at the time), both eager to meet the person behind the designs. Over the course of various meetings and parties in private clubs, these two giants of the music industry also began wearing her designs. Yoon Ahn's popularity took off in 2008, along with her label Ambush. Faced with this growing demand, she stacked up the special orders and designed more collections, featuring padlock jewellery and barbed wire. Her jewellery’s urban – some might say hip hop – vibe gradually led to an opportunity to try her hand at ready-to-wear. Unsurprisingly, it was a success. The hyper-detailed logo sweatshirts, utilitarian bombers and jogging bottoms - which she combines with feminine sandals or chunky sneakers - garnered her quite a reputation. Ten years on, and Ambush remains an exclusive label whose name can often be overheard in the corridors of luxury houses. Including at Dior, where she collaborated on jewellery for the menswear collections of Kim Jones. Driven by her unique sense of style, based on a deep love of subcultures and interest in youth culture, Yoon Ahn has managed to carve out a place for herself within the fashion elite. Her collections are known for their originality and sense of provocation, appealing to the younger generation and upholding female supremacy.