Mr. Andre Kim has been fashion designing since 1962 since the age of 27 [1] when he opened "Salon Andre" in Sogong-dong in Central Seoul, becoming Korea’s first male fashion designer. In 1966, he held his first fashion show in Paris, becoming the first Korean to do so. He would later go on to hold many other fashion shows in New York, Washington DC, Barcelona, Cairo, Sydney and Beijing [2].

In 1981, Andre Kim was selected as Chief Designer for the 1981 Miss Universe beauty pageant. In 1988, he designed uniforms for Korean athletes for the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games. After that, he became a repeated invitee to take part in occasions held by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). In 1997, he was presented with South Korea’s Presidential Culture and Art Medal for his contributions in the fashion world. In 2003, he was awarded Italy’s Cultural Merit Award and elected as UNICEF’s Goodwill Ambassador.

To kick off the new year, on February 10, 2007, Andre Kim will be presenting his menswear collection at the Manhunt International 2007, which will be held in South Korea's Kangwonland International Convention Centre, a newly opened ski resort, which is bidding for the next Winter Olympic Games. He will be creating a special men's collection and featuring them at the World Finals of the Manhunt International 2007 where he will also be present as a celebrity judge [3]. To celebrate the coming of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, Andre Kim has also been invited to a fashion show held in Qingdao to present clothes designed by him worn by the famous Korean movie star Kim Rae-won. Meanwhile, he has recently designed uniforms for the Hankuk Academy of Foreign Studies in Yongin and taken a foray out of clothes into designing washing machines for Samsung [4].

The designs of André Kim are said to "combine Classical designs with Futuristic elements" often resulting in very distinctive clothes with bold, rich colors and unique, vaguely Asiatic patterns, often of large roses, birds, or tree branches. For his fashion shows, Kim favors “fantasy,” white-toned settings that bring out the unusual colors of his designs. The designs of his clothes are highly appreciated by celebrities in Korea and consequently, he often has many high-profile actors and actresses participating in his fashion shows; his wedding dress fashion shows are especially renowned for showcasing famous celebrities. Andre Kim’s fame also extends beyond Korea’s borders as is evident when Michael Jackson, a big fan of André Kim, asked him to be his personal designer. However, Kim declined stating that his clothes were for everybody [5]. Nonetheless, he continues to design many costumes for famous musicians and celebrities.

As much of a fashion icon as his clothes are and a celebrity on his own right, Andre Kim is known for many quirks that set him apart from other fashion designers. One is that despite being male, he wears "heavy black eye-liner" ^[1] and dons all-white outfits, which is said to be his favorite color, habitually topped off with a brightly colored scarf. His personal life, however, has remained rather mysterious; all that is known is that he has never married and has not indicated a wish to do so, though he has officially adopted a son.