[COMPLITALY UK] Interview with Team8 Partners on their activities at Milan Fashion Week 2025 and major projects for 2025
- T8P
- 3월 31일
- 6분 분량
One of the most anticipated and talked-about events at Milan Fashion Week
In today’s interconnected world, cultural fusion is no longer just an artistic experiment—it’s a necessity. Few understand this better than Albert Kheem and Sunny Kim, the creative minds behind Team8 Partners, a Korean-based global promotions company that is reshaping the way we experience fashion and music.
Their latest triumph, their guest participation at the Milan Loves Seoul, was one of the most anticipated and talked-about events at Milan Fashion Week. With an ambitious vision, Team8 brought together the distinct aesthetics of Korean fashion, K-pop, and Milan’s prestigious high-fashion scene, giving the world a fresh perspective on how these industries can coexist and inspire one another.
From hosting Korean celebrities like Theo Jang and Ki Hyun Woo to curating insightful masterclasses on K-pop, digital culture, and entertainment trends, Team8 Partners has solidified itself as a major force in global cultural collaboration.
Milan Loves Seoul: Creating a Global Platform for Exchange
For Sunny Kim, Milan Loves Seoul was an opportunity to create something bigger than just a fashion event.
“This event was not just a fashion showcase but a platform that maximized cultural exchange between Korea and Italy. It demonstrated how K-fashion and K-pop could be reinterpreted in new ways on the global stage of Milan Fashion Week,” she explains.
At its core, Milan Loves Seoul was not just about showcasing Korean talent in Milan but about creating a space where different creative languages could interact organically. The event provided a stage for Korean and Italian designers to collaborate, breaking barriers that once separated luxury high fashion and digital-age pop culture.
However, merging these distinct worlds was not without its challenges.
“Milan Fashion Week represents a fusion of tradition and avant-garde, where classic elements are modernized, while Korean fashion and music evolve rapidly, integrating digital trends and a highly stylized visual approach, as seen in K-pop. The key challenge was finding a seamless way to connect these differences while preserving the unique identity of each culture,” explains Sunny.
For Albert Kheem, the event was a turning point for Korean fashion and music collaborations on the global stage.
“Milan Loves Seoul (MLS) is led by Marcella Di Simone and Ylenia Basagni, bringing together Korean and Italian fashion in a unique cultural exchange. It takes place every February in Milan and every September in Seoul, providing a stage for designers from both nations to collaborate.”
What excites him most is the organic enthusiasm that Milan’s creative industry has shown toward Korean culture.
“So many fashion and culture insiders in Italy have reached out, eager to collaborate. This event has opened the door for some huge creative projects in the near future.”
Masterclass Highlights: The Global Influence of K-pop
While Milan Loves Seoul featured stunning fashion showcases, the masterclass series was the heart of the event. These sessions went beyond fashion, delving into topics such as music, entertainment, digital trends, and industry insights.
“Two days of masterclasses were organized. Over two days, various sessions explored topics such as fashion, music, entertainment, and industry trends, attracting a high level of participation and engagement. Albert Kheem’s K-pop masterclass, in particular, was a standout moment,” says Sunny.
For Albert, the overwhelming response to his K-pop masterclass reinforced a key belief: K-pop is not just music—it’s an industry, a movement, and a business model that the world is eager to understand.
“It was impressive to see the Italian audience deeply engaged in understanding K-pop’s musical techniques and industry structure. This demonstrated the growing potential for cultural exchange between Korea and Italy.”
This deep curiosity for K-pop’s production techniques, business model, and cultural impact is something Albert and Team8 plan to build upon in future projects.
The Future of Korean Fashion & Music Collaborations
Both Sunny Kim and Albert Kheem believe that the future of fashion and music collaborations will evolve far beyond traditional formats.
“Brand storytelling through music and the integration of show entertainment will become a major trend. Fashion brands will go beyond traditional collection presentations, creating immersive entertainment experiences with live performances, interactive storytelling, and deeper collaborations with music artists,” says Sunny.
For Albert, the goal is not just to merge fashion and music but to redefine how people experience them together.
“We’re beyond the days of just saying ‘K-culture means K-pop, K-drama, K-food.’ It’s now a global lifestyle movement. K-fashion isn’t just ‘Korean people wearing clothes’—it’s a blend of worldwide trends with a Korean sensibility.”
London Calling: The Next Chapter for Team8 Partners
Following their success in Milan, Team8 Partners is setting its sights on London, a city long known as a hotbed of experimental fashion and music innovation. Their next project? A global crossover that blends immersive soundscapes with high fashion.
“The primary purpose of this visit is to discuss collaborations for a global project that fuses fashion and music. Team8 Partners is currently working with London-based global brands and music producers to develop a new form of crossover project,” explains Sunny.
What makes London the ideal next step for this vision?
“London is a city where experimental projects that break the boundaries between fashion and music are constantly emerging. Team8 Partners aims to reflect this dynamic approach by creating ‘audible fashion spaces’—designing sound narratives inspired by brands and collections, bringing them to life in fashion shows, pop-up stores, and gallery settings.”
For Albert, London is not just another city—it’s a creative powerhouse.
“London is the birthplace of modern culture. It’s where the weirdest food was invented and the most legendary music came to life. It’s the textbook AND the playground for every creative industry.”
Future Projects: Multi-Sensory Fashion & Art Integration
Looking ahead to 2025, Team8 Partners is diving deeper into multi-sensory branding, combining fashion, music, scent, and digital experiences.
“We are redefining fashion, music, and art as an integrated experience rather than separate disciplines. To achieve this, we are developing projects that include customized sound design for fashion spaces, the fusion of music videos and fashion films, and sound experiences linked to art installations,” says Sunny.
One of Albert’s dream collaborations? Working with British contemporary artist Damien Hirst.
“Imagine standing in front of a Hirst piece, with an orchestral score designed specifically for it. Maybe even adding a unique fragrance to deepen the experience. Sounds bonkers? That’s why it’s brilliant.”
But the vision doesn’t stop there. Albert sees a future where branding, fine art, and performance come together in ways never seen before.
“I want to push boundaries—global artists, music, theatre, visual storytelling, and high fashion combined. I’d love to curate branding experiences that merge perfume, food, music, and fine art into one cohesive narrative.”
Conclusion: A New Era for Cultural Collaboration
With Milan Loves Seoul making waves and London on the horizon, Team8 Partners is leading a global shift, where fashion and music are no longer separate industries but immersive, interconnected experiences.
“The importance of narrative-driven and interactive content for brands is increasing rapidly. Rather than simply showcasing aesthetically pleasing images and products, brands are now expected to create immersive experiences that allow audiences to fully engage with their world,” says Sunny.
For Albert, his creative journey is just beginning.
“I don’t need to be ‘world-famous,’ but I want to leave behind something people genuinely love. One legendary song before I die.”
With their bold vision and relentless passion for innovation, Team8 Partners is set to redefine how the world experiences fashion, music, and art—one city at a time.
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About COMPLITALY UK
Born in Britain with an Italian spin, COMPLITALY is a bilingual media platform dedicated to sharing news, culture, and stories that matter.From UK headlines to Italian insights and global perspectives, COMPLITALY connects communities through quality journalism and authentic storytelling—across their on-demand app, social media platforms, and Amazon Prime Video. From London to the world.
Ann Margaret “Maggie” Arandela-Romano
Ann Margaret “Maggie” Arandela-Romano is a multilingual broadcast journalist and writer, and a member of press associations in both Britain and Europe.As a global entertainment and culture correspondent for COMPLITALY UK, Maggie has covered prestigious events including Italy’s Festival di Sanremo, the Florence Korea Film Festival, the BAFTAs, BFI London Film Festival, London Fashion Week, and Germany’s Berlinale.
With deep European and Asian heritage and a passion for travel, she brings audiences compelling stories from across Europe and around the world—especially those connected to Korean culture and entertainment, which hold a special place in her heart.
