of Leo (main vocal) and Ravi (main rapper). We have individual tastes and goals in music, so with LR, we are able to show our new harmonious color not seen in VIXX through our unified performance and common objective. It is actually a great opportunity for us, so we are really excited about this new beginning. Why did you feel it was time to split away from VIXX? L: Ravi and I have been constantly writing lyrics and songs, not only during the time we worked as VIXX, but also the period of their hiatus. We’ve been looking for a way from the very start to show our new looks in a different way. Putting much effort in our works, we have been waiting for the time where we are perfectly ready to show our results to the public, and now, we both agreed it was the appropriate time to make our public debut. VIXX was a huge success. What do you hope to accomplish with this new partnership? L & R: Thank you for saying so, but I think VIXX still has a long way to go to be fully recognized as a Korean representative group. In this respect, we would like to pursue more opportunities to show the potential abilities of VIXX. We’re always thinking about what we have to do as a VIXX member to be
deuxhommesmag.com
I think that
fashion is
able to make one’s characters and concepts his own colors. —LEO AND RAVI
recognized to more people, so I hope LR will serve as a chance to make the group widen its positions. K-Pop and fashion have significantly impacted each other. How do you think fashion has affected the music industry and vice versa? R: I think fashion is closely associated with K-Pop artists. These artists wear clothes that represent their concepts related to their music. It makes an artist express their concepts more effectively. Also, considering the fact that the accessories and clothes the K-Pop stars wear on stage during their performances become popular and sometimes a big trend, the music industry has a great effect on the fashion industry as well. In this respect, I think that the music and fashion
industries cannot be separated. Every country is known for a specific type of fashion or skill set (i.e. American is sportswear, Italy is romanticism and fine tailoring, France is sophisticated and high craftsmanship, etc.) In your eyes, what is Korea’s specialty? R: This is quite a tough question because I am not an expert within the fashion industry. (Laughs) In my personal opinion, Korean fashion is focused on its functionality, and I guess this is the reason why most Korean people prefer to wear comfortable clothes with a few unique factors. However, it is difficult to say there is one specific specialty representing Korean fashion in that Korean people in general seem to be extremely trend sensitive. I think it is constantly changing.
It is obvious to state that physical appearances are extremely important with public figures. Who are some of your favorite emerging fashion brands and why? R: Yes, of course caring about your physical appearances is a vital part of our lives. I have no favorite brands or designers. I usually pick out my outfits mostly by their design rather than preferring certain brands. I also tend to mix-and-match my apparel with high-end and streetwear brands. Recently, I love wearing classic brands like [Ralph Lauren] Polo. Assuming music is an outlet for you to express your feelings, how do you view fashion? R: I think that fashion is able to make one’s characters and concepts his own colors.
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