Andre Kim honored with Ordre des Arts et Lettres

Korean fashion designer Andre Kim received the Ordre des Arts et letters (Order of Arts and Letters) from the French government for his contributions to the development of art and literature.

The awarding ceremony was held at the French Embassy in Seoul Tuesday.

The order is one of four French ministerial orders given to those who have made outstanding cultural achievements. Past Koreans honored with the order include video artist Paik Nam-June and conductor Chung Myung-Whun.

French Ambassador to Korea Jean-Paul Reau, who awarded the order to Kim on behalf of French Prime Minister Lionel Jospin, said that Kim¡¯s fashion stage, harmonized with beautiful clothes and music, is a place where East and West meet, judging that Kim was pursuing his artistic nature without falling prey to commercialism.

In his acceptance speech, Kim said he was proud to receive the government order of France, a leading country of culture and arts, and vowed to make efforts to have fashion recognized as an art.