Understanding "ATT%1TUDE" with Bajowoo.
THE LATEST COLLECTION FROM 99%IS- IS A FEAST OF DIY MAXIMALISM
Yet Bajowoo still offers subtle nods to the subculture du jour that once possessed his entirety. He calls on Korean punk pioneers Crying Nut for a “Joseon Punk” mohair knit, further referencing the 2000s “Skunk” era in describing “ATT1&TUDE” using “우리는 한마음” (“Our Minds Are the Same”), a single from punk band Rux. But Korea’s punk heyday has long passed. It no longer taunts Bajowoo like it used to, as he now plucks inspiration from life’s mundane details.
A pair of nylon pants with a reflective “SSIVAL” screenprint (a “Konglish take on f*ck,” he explains, as ssibal is the typical romanization of the Korean curse word ) haphazardly plastered on the rear reflects the annoyance of dropping something on the ground and having to pick it up. Jackets’ structures mimic slouched postures, amplifying his own louche stance that teachers once scolded him for.
If you asked Bajowoo what any of his past collections embodied, he’d probably tell you that each was a reflection of his life up until that moment, framed by his iconic nae mamdaero motif (meaning “my way”). The eyeshadow-sporting frontman of South Korean label 99%IS- has embraced his inner-self over the past years, moving away from the fashion industry’s fickle seasonal cycle in favor of his own sporadic schedule. He tends to release just one collection a year, working late into the night for months on end until his work is ready.
Bajowoo isn’t a fan of pigeonhole labels, referring to himself as “someone who likes to make clothes” as opposed to laying claim to the “fashion designer” title. The “punk” label isn’t his cup of tea either, instead his vision embraces an eclectic array of musical influences -- from the protest songs of Korean minjung gayo to the global phenomenon of hip-hop. While it might be difficult to characterize Bajowoo’s underpinnings, his message stands directly in your face: he crafts clothes for those cast to society’s fringes, the creative pariahs that Bajowoo calls “the true one-percenters.”
Over the past several months, Bajowoo and his tight-knit group of co-conspirators created more than 140 different garments and accessories. He continues to bolster pieces handcrafted in studio, with each piece donning “HANDMADE CUSTOM FOR 1%” labeling. The result is his latest collection, “ATT1%TUDE.”
From thick down-filled puffer jackets buttressed by electric fauxhawk additives to tongue-in-cheek flips on South Korean hospital gowns and pajamas, normative styles take on mutinous aesthetics throughout Bajowoo’s newest DIY assortment. In between the new pieces are all his cult favorites, including revised colorways of his shapeshifting Gobchang Pants (as sported by the likes of Travis Scott, Playboi Carti, Bad Bunny, Skepta, Bloody Osiris, Charli XCX and so many more) and ghoulish facemasks.
You won’t find leather jackets, studded belts or tartan plaid in Bajowoo’s latest collection, nor the taut heroin-chic silhouettes employed by the punk greats of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. Instead, Bajowoo is pursuing new avenues, whereby it’s not the clothes, but the attitude that fuels each piece’s creation. “I’m not trying to be ‘new punk’ or create another punk movement,” he jests. “I’m bored of having a manual.”
He even turns hospital gowns into daily wearables. A “Never Die Hospital” shirt and pant set references the gown-donning patients that he witnessed during his hospital stay going outside to smoke or take a walk, ironically (and performatively) acting as if “all was normal.” Elsewhere, Bajowoo flips the script on negative childhood memories of being called sae daegari (“birdhead”). Turning the figure of speech into reality by way of a beak-toting knit hat, Bajowoo notes that the word for bird, sae, also means “new,” emphasizing his tongue-in-cheek take on tradition. It is here where Bajowoo stitches, knits, screen prints and cuts in order to turn couture into narrative.
The idea behind “ATT1%TUDE” was that the clothes would take on their own personas. Bajowoo thought about how clothes look when nonchalantly thrown onto chairs or couches, how they take on unforseen identities in a dark room, and how when one alters the shape and look of their trousers when they sit down.
On two of the collection’s puffer jackets for example, the base fabric is reflective, with another layer of lightweight flameproof cotton stitched atop. The fabric is meant to be worn away, Bajowoo encourages wearers to put their cigarettes out on the sleeves. This wear-and-tear reveals a new aspect of the garment, playing into Bajowoo’s own words of “everything is our attitude.” This is bolstered by his fauxhawk hats transformed directly into the thick hoods, finished by disorderly glow-in-the-dark screenprints and custom childlike pins. The brand has also constructed a set of overdyed hoodies that feature a hand sewn patch on the front. Buyers can cut away the patch’s fabric in order to reveal a hedonistic screenprint that displays Mickey and Minnie Mouse getting it on. An under-the-rug surprise, so to speak.
In a country where much of fashion is dictated by trends, Bajowoo’s untamed rebelliousness is a refreshing vision for Korea’s sartorial landscape. As his career continues to unfold, Bajowoo’s own attitude has become loud and clear. While many might describe the designer as the aesthetic offspring of punk queen Vivienne Westwood, Bajowoo’s movement is a fresh resistance in a world where subculture has been co-opted into mainstream fashion. Just two years ago, the brand’s Gobchang Pants and alien-like face masks flew under the fashion realm’s radar. As more and more take notice of his fast-paced rise, Bajowoo is often asked, “What’s next?” To which he casually replies, “Showing the world my attitude.”