2022SS <high-strung>

Everybody of the day is fettered both externally and internally. Harsh circumstances like COVID-19 made everyone be isolated and feelings like fear, anger, sadness, and frustration surged through us. In this moment of panic, designer Jungwoo Park starts his project during the self-quarantine period. Faced with isolation, Jungwoo Park felt like he had been bridled and embondaged.
In 21FW season, Jungwoo Park named his collection <high-stung>. In this collection, he explores the fearful elements inherent to aggression and reconfigures them into subdued yet evocative fantasy. Merinthophobia, which means the fear of being tied up, and how man reacts to such restrictions are the main motif of this collection. By borrowing various elements regarding BDSM restrained body and contrasting this with fluid body image, Jungwoo Park draws a body free from any fetters.
Jungwoo Park chooses to use various materials in metonymical meaning. The collection uses satin silk and hammered silk to make the shirts, jackets and a dress. One of the long coats and two shirts were made using hammered silk with this season’s water-drop image digitally printed on. The water-drop print refers to the imagery of sweaty bodies engaged in BDSM acts and presents the visceral expression of aggression and fear against the black, white, and red backdrops. The motif of sweat is also carried over into the crystal and silver jewelry as well as the beaded bag straps.

Q Millinery x the STOLEN GARMENT

In addition to making a headpiece for the 22SS collection, Q millinery, who has created the headpieces for the brand since its first collection, has co-launched a jewelry line with the STOLEN
GARMENT. Having collaborated not only on collections but also as members of an artist group, they have named the new line Geometric Study after the name of their artist collective. The two designers first created oversized body jewelry pieces that wrap around the human body and later distilled the forms into smaller and more wearable jewelry including rings, bracelets, and necklaces.

The flower-shaped jewelry pieces were made in collaboration with the metal artist Dobin Lim.

KILEE x the STOLEN GARMENT

For this season, the long-time collaborator and bag brand KI LEE has designed cross-body bags and bracelets/anklets using cork fabric--the brand’s signature vegan leather alternative. The designs were inspired by the duct-tape handcuffs and the stolen Shang dynasty artifact from the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum art heist.

-Jimin YOO-

Jimin Yoo who has worked closely with the brand on many of its previous lookbooks and music has composed four original tracks for the 22SS collection, and also shot this season’s lookbook.

TRACK 01 “High Strung” generates the sounds of tension and sophistication through the one-to-one combination of synthesizer and percussion.

TRACK 02 “Shadows of Knight” mixes the aerial melodies into the severe sounds, and can be said to be the main track of the season.

TRACK 03 “Negative Fx” and TRACK 04 “American Fool” embodies the STOLEN GARMENT’s punk aesthetics through modern heavy metal sensibilities, minimal rhythm, and a straightforward baseline.

Over the last two decades, ZEEMEN (Jimin Yoo) has been a staple in the Seoul underground scene as an electronic musician, techno DJ and photographer.