The fashion community in South Korea is mourning over the death of popular fashion designer Andre Kim. The 74-year old designer died late last week after succumbing to colon cancer and pneumonia.

Kim is one of the pioneers of fashion design in the Asian country. In fact, he was the country’s first male fashion designer when he started his career in 1962, the period where this job is considered for the females only.

At that same year, Kim launched his first fashion show and launched his “Salon Andre” business in Seoul. He became the first Korean to conduct a fashion show in Paris four years later.

He’s also been an influential figure in major events in Korea such as the Seoul Olympics in 1988 where he showcased his designs to the world. His success in the industry earned him multiple local and international awards.