White canvas flows like waves from the ceiling tiles of Jowa, a South Korea-inspired fashion boutique that opened in the Bishop Arts District last November. Thanks to transparent wires, clothing racks appear to float. Every item on those racks has been imported from South Korea. They are each precisely placed. And if you look closely, there’s only one of each piece in the whole store.
Growing up in Ulsan, South Korea, Jowa founder Eunhwa “Kate” Jung spent all of her pocket money in the city’s many diverse fashion boutiques. When she eventually moved to Texas with her husband, she was disappointed with her style options. So in 2018, she founded Jowa, an online venture born out of her deep appreciation for South Korean fashion. Her online store grew in popularity, and Jung hosted pop-up events in cities like Austin, New York, and Chicago. She says the positive attention fueled her decision to open her brick-and-mortar showroom in Bishop Arts.
With it, Jung says her primary goal is to curate quality clothes and accessories while introducing Korean style to a Dallas clientele. Jung says she ventures back and forth to Seoul, South Korea’s capital, to look at local designers’ latest fashions and bring back pieces she likes. Jung’s stock of each item is limited, and most sell out quickly. “However, they are replaced quickly with new items,” she says. Jowa refrains from bulk orders to ensure that her customers acquire distinctive pieces. When you stroll down the street, you won’t encounter others wearing the same outfit.
Jung describes her one of a kind selections, which range from a string of freshwater pearls to colorful cashmere socks to a skirt with folds that hide the buttons that run from top to bottom, as “minimal classic with a little twist.” Jowa offers a range of men’s, women’s and unisex options. Customers can browse from one section to another without interruptions, finding a piece that they look and feel good in, which is the whole mission of the store.
Its name, Jowa, translates to “It’s good” or “I like it.” Jung says she chose it to sum up her ethos. And when talking to customers, she playfully uses it to pay them her highest compliment: “You look jowa.”
