Korean accessories brand IISE is back for Fall/Winter 2015 with a new array of luggage. Named after the Korean word for “second generation,” IISE fuses its nation’s cultural influences into a catalog of modern and elegant backpacks, which are entirely handmade in the brand’s home country. To locate your nearest IISE stockist, head over to the brand’s website. For further reading, take a look at the 20 Korean brands you need to know. Your Daily Dose of Highsnobiety Receive the best in sneakers, fashion and street culture straight to your inbox!Crossbody LimeBackpack CrossbodyFree BackpackLime HandsPendant BackpackPendant ThirtyLime InsideNavy PendantsBackpack OptionForwardSo easy to grab and go, this bag offers a great hands-free backpack option, and one shoulder strap can easily be converted for right- or left-handed use. Put the pockets to work to house all your essentials, and you're set for the day. Ten IISE NatCap members and friends joined Essendant for a Backpacks for Baltimore event on Saturday, August 13. 

The volunteers put together an awesome assembly line to pack approximately 1500 backpacks in just under 3 hours! These backpacks will be donated to children at Baltimore City schools. Many thanks for all that came out to volunteer, and thanks to Essendant for providing the supplies, space, and letting IISE join the fun!IISEFinal day at @capsuleshow find us at booth B36.IISELive from booth B36 at @capsuleshow NYC. See allIISECollection '005' will be showcased at @capsuleshow NYC. We will be at booth B36 from 1/24-1/26. For appointments please contact us at info@ii-se.coIISECollection '005' will be showcased at @capsuleshow NYC. For appointments please contact us at info@ii-se.coIISE added a new photo.IISE added a new photo.IISENew Hanbok jackets coming soon. [typography font=”Cardo” size=”13″ size_format=”px”] At our Coldsmoke store, we have made it a point to find some really unique goods from various brands across the globe. One of those very brands is IISE out of Seoul, South Korea.

We are beyond stoked to carry these incredibly well made bags in our store. If you are not familiar with their story, you should really get to know it. When looking at an IISE bag, you can’t help but notice the materials used. At the forefront of each bag is an organically dyed cotton/silk fabric that plays a prominent role in each piece. Only two colors are offered – indigo and black – with each featuring the aforementioned fabric, and thanks to a unique Korean dyeing process that dates back to the 13th century, no two items are the same.laptop bags olx lahoreTell us about your stunning new collection. hiking boots rental reykjavikIn addition to Korean silk/cotton blends, it seems you guys are incorporating fine leathers now as well. backpack gosf

Most of your fans are familiar with your previous use of ‘hanji’ (paper from a Korean mulberry tree) cloth and organic dying methods. Is there anything that makes your leather special as well? We tend to receive a lot of positive feedback on how well our bags age. As the cyclical dying, rinsing, and drying process makes the colors and textures unique, each bag also develops natural creases and wrinkles over time according to how the owner uses it – much like how people develop wrinkles from expressions. targus notebook backpack 16 cn600Each of these instances show signs of character and individuality. costco roots backpack 2013Although the dying process differs for our leathers, the same concept applies to its maturation. cullmann backpack 500

We also take the utmost care in sourcing materials. The new goat leather we sourced for our daypack and wallet is soft and supple, while the Italian leather we use feels luxurious and durable. Interesting choice moving from buffalo to goat leather but I gotta say the latter feels like butter, seriously. It’s been a pretty crazy ride, hasn’t it? You guys have propelled IISE from very humble beginnings to an enviable Korean-inspired bag and accessories brand. teemo backpackAny words of advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? It’s definitely been pretty crazy. I think everyone that has pursued something of their own whether it be something creative or a business, has failed numerous times along the way. The important thing is to learn from all your failures and motivate yourself to keep going. Many people feel like they need to be 100% prepared before trying something new but the truth is you’ll never be 100% ready, so you might as well start as soon as you can and learn from the inevitable mistakes you’ll make along the way.

Imagine how many great ideas never come to fruition because of this?Getting started is a battle at times, and execution is a beast in itself. How hard was it to start a business in Korea as a foreigner with the language barrier and all? It’s been a long journey to even get IISE started but we’ve been fortunate to meet with people that have been very understanding and helpful. We work with mostly an older generation of Koreans and many of them are intrigued as to why two foreigners are so interested in their craft and culture. The language barrier was a bit of a setback but we knew enough to communicate the basics. The more we got to know this older generation of people the more Korean we learned. In response to our efforts, they’re even eager to learn a bunch of English words and now there are hardly any communication problems. You know you’re going somewhere when you start getting attention from haters. I’ve heard some say that your products are too minimal style wise or believe prices are set too high.

How do you respond? Haha, honestly we don’t receive that much hate. Most people respond well, even if our designs don’t fall in line with their tastes. I’ve learned that people can always respect what you’re trying to do, especially when they hear your story and vibe with why you’re doing it. As for prices – they’re reflective of the labor, quality, and attention that goes behind each product. That’s another reason each style is produced in limited quantities; At the end of the day, we try to make things we would see ourselves buying and using for years to come. Kevin, nothing worthwhile comes easy and everything happens for a reason. Two maxims I’m sure you guys can relate to. I remember some of your initial struggles trying to get a brand launched, and how a proposed opportunity with a high-end fashion designer was what prompted you to move to Korea in the first place. Immediately after getting settled here in Seoul you stumbled upon a pretty massive roadblock.

What was your thought process when that designer backed out? At the time it was the worst thing to happen to us. We were living in China at the time, so we flew back and forth for months until ultimately moving here to finish the collaboration. After the designer backed out, all the hard work we had accomplished was for nothing. But we believed in our vision for the brand and decide it to just do it on our own. Now looking back, it was all a blessing in disguise and we learned that there’s always going to be setbacks along the way. When your back’s against a wall it’s human nature to fight with urgency and we’ve maintained that aggressive mentality ever since. Terrence, I know you’re a strong believer in the quote, “The next person you meet could change your life.” Could you share an experience where someone was pivotal in establishing IISE’s foundation? Do you have any other favorite quotes for aspiring entrepreneurs? There have been so many altruistic people along the way that have helped us in ways both big and small.

When we were living in China, we met the nicest Chinese man who worked for a huge clothing company. I remember the first time he invited us to his office building and it almost seemed like a Google headquarters building. He ended up giving us a free office space to work out of and even connected us to a bunch of factories all because he just wanted to help us succeed. It was an enlightening and uplifting experience. I hope we’re in a position to help out others just as he did in the future. I have a lot of favorite quotes about getting started, maintaining passion, and executing ideas, but the following succinctly sums up how I’ve changed the way I view work. It’s also probably one of the biggest perks to doing what you truly love. “A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play; his labor and his leisure; his mind and his body; his education and his recreation. He hardly knows which is which. He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing.

To himself, he always appears to be doing both.” What does the rise in media attention these days do for your brand? Exposure is always good. It provides us with more recognition, increases brand awareness, and is essentially free marketing for us. The networking potential is also huge as we can meet fellow entrepreneurs, collaborate with companies in a related field, or learn and gather inspiration from other people. It’s continually surprising to find out just how many people are willing to help when you display passion behind your ideas. Let’s switch gears a bit. Have any funny stories to share with us? Our Korean dye teacher always rags on us… like literally shuts us down. She mentors us and often gives us advice on the natural dye process and its history. She has the best intentions, but basically ends up schooling us when we think we know something. Another example is when we show her our new samples or products after toiling on them for months, she’s like, “ehhh… this is whatever!”