COLLECTIONS : Now . . .and Then : The 1990s: Seoul is striving to become an international fashion capital.

In contrast to its reputation as a “Hermit Kingdom” and the “Land of the Morning Calm,” things are stirring in South Korea.

The latest indicator that this country is fast shedding its old image relates to fashion.

A recent show of spring collections, sponsored by Hyundai department stores, showcased 12 of the country’s top designers. It was an obvious step toward realizing the city’s goal of becoming one of the world’s fashion capitals--second only to Tokyo in Asia.

Many styles were influenced by leading labels from Paris, such as Paco Rabanne, Comme des Garcons, Issey Miyake and Junko Koshino.

Others reinterpreted traditional Korean dress with modern outfits based on hanbok (short jackets worn with long flowing skirts) and paji (wide trousers, tapered at the ankle).

Sul Yoon Hyung excelled at 20th-Century updates of such traditional styles.

Park Yoon Soo was most in tune with the latest ‘60s-inspired Paris designs. He showed gold-sequined short tube dresses, and his unique “glass” chandelier dresses.

Lee Shin Woo, whose latest styles are made of fabric she designs, showed in Seoul and also shows in Los Angeles at the California Mart, under the Ichinoo label. She sells her line to small specialty stores across the United States.

The local marketing of South Korean fashion is done through department stores where each designer label is displayed in its own small area. Some stores also offer a range of internationally known brands such as Pierre Cardin and Yves Saint Laurent of Paris, and Kansai Yamamoto of Japan, who now has three boutiques here. But to date, only the wealthy can afford designer clothes.