Christine Nielsen, Former Balenciaga & McQueen Designer, Launches Her Own Label

Christine Nielsen is the designer behind her label Hyun Mi Nielsen, creating romantic looks with a punk sensibility. 

Christine Hyun Mi Nielsen. Photo Credit: Arc Street

After stints at Givenchy, Alexander McQueen, and Balenciaga under Alexander Wang, Nielsen decided to start her own label to bring her closer to the tactile side of design. “Working for somebody else is a great experience,” she tells us. “It teaches you a lot about empathy and having love for a brand.”

With the idea of creating clothes for the working women, she has been putting out collections during the couture shows since 2017. “My idea of a woman is about someone who is strong, but super sensitive too, and I think the working woman is the best example of that,” Nielsen says. “It’s the closest thing to what I’d call myself.”

The clothes themselves are constructed using couture techniques, but are ultimately pieces for the working woman’s wardrobe, including chic leather dresses, oversized coats, and clean-cut tailoring. Adding a touch of ‘punk’ are metal embellishments, over-the-knee skin-tight leather boots, and bralettes worn over printed tops.

While the brand is not sustainable, Nielsen hopes her focus on luxury techniques and attention to detail will help create looks that people want to keep forever. “I’m all about ‘buy less but buy better” she explains. “When people see my collections, I hope they see something well executed with longevity.”

Take a look at the Hyun Mi Nielsen lookbook below.

Photo credit for all images: Hyun Mi Nielsen

Let us know your favourite look from the Hyun Mi Nielsen lookbook in the comments!