BONBOM is owned and artistically directed by designer Bonbom Jo. He majored in Menswear at London College of Fashion in 2019 and has lived in Texas, Denmark and Paris. Since launching in 2020, BONBOM debuted its first collection during the Paris Fashion week schedule of 2020, and has continued showing since. BONBOM’s Winter 22 collection was the opening runway show of Seoul Fashion Week F/W 2022-2023. The promising young talent sat down with Crash to talk about his path up to this point and his hopes for the future of BONBOM AND HIS participation in the KOCCA Metaverse Fashion Festival. Discover the showcase now at the official website: www.kmff2022.com

@__bonbom

Tell us a bit about your latest collection?

The latest collection is the Spring/Summer 2023, and the theme of the season was “To Be Safer Being With You”. Looking back at the images of medieval knights armor that I’ve been collecting for a long time, I found that the layering of the armor is visually similar to BONBOM’s pleats. It is a casual wear collection mainly featuring white T-shirts and blue jeans, which is intuitively and metaphorically resolved from BONBOM’s unique point of view by focusing on this point and drawing out the fetish that can be felt in it.

Where are you based as a brand and why?

BONBOM is based in Seoul, South Korea. I studied and worked in fashion in London and Paris, but came to Korea due to the Covid-19 situation. When I was in Korea, there was a positive response to my graduation work, so I developed it and created a brand named after myself and released a collection, so the brand is still based in Korea. However, there was a response from abroad first, so we are currently stocked in 60 stores around the world outside of Korea.

Where did you study?

After studying fashion design at Hanyang University in Korea, I majored in menswear at London College of Fashion in London. After that, I went through a pattern cutting internship at Y/Project in Paris and studied fashion in many ways. It’s only been two years since I launched the brand, so I feel I’m still studying almost.

 What inspires you to get creative?

I don’t get much inspiration from outside. I put the music I was listening to at the time and various emotions and  express them in an atmospheric way. I tried several times to get inspiration from the outside, but I design by sketching myself, recording things in my dreams, and jotting down good thoughts while walking on the street. Since I am always thinking about clothes, I just express what I have been thinking about while sitting at my office desk by drawing it with my hands. And rather than putting on all the elements clearly, I create the details or silhouettes I want to explore and fill in the rest of the details.

Communication with employees and the elements of culture they enjoy are reflected in styling/text/printing, etc., so it can be said that conversations with employees and lifestyles are also inspirational to me.

Who do you look up to the most?

I look up to Glenn Martins. As a designer, I like his talent and perseverance, and I respect the path he has taken, both mentally and professionally, within the constraints of many things. I respect him as a human being because I know he is a warm-hearted, mischievous and fun person who treats his staff and co-workers well.

Tell us about the moment you knew you wanted to be a fashion designer.

Influenced by my father, an anatomy professor, I grew up learning the various physical characteristics of men and women in an easy and fun way. In particular, the interesting characteristics of the body, such as the fact that wide shoulders/narrow waist/developed shoulder and arm muscles/protruding hips and calf muscles, are considered attractive, and I wanted to make clothes that could emphasize them. Since then, I have been interested in clothes such as bustiers and corsets while studying ‘Western clothing’, and I am transforming and adapting them to the times so that they are not uncomfortable, and creating unprecedented high-fashion clothes with casual and streetwear being the trend.

What’s your favorite part of the process?

I like sketches the most. Because when I sketch, anything is possible. When I’m sketching, I draw as small as possible. That’s because it makes the silhouette more bold. Just looking at that, it seems that I value the big branches more than the details. I also like the time to choose fabrics. I love knitting patterns and basting so much that I can stay up all night with just a sewing machine.

Least favorite part…

My least favorite part is the styling. It’s because I have to face all the proportions and combinations I’ve imagined, but I also have to face the unfortunate part. It was good to put the clothes I’ve made so far and imagine it, but when I actually make it into a look, it becomes a complete reality, and it’s unfortunate that it feels like I’m staying with only one combination. Also, I think it’s because it’s a stage that leaves a belated bitterness about what it would have been like if there had been an item like this.

What are your aspirations for your brand for the next year…

Next year’s goal is to expand overseas, share a vision to increase profits, and have an atelier inside. Also, I want to have fun collaborating with various artists or brands. The most important goal is to work stably and happily with the BONBOM team.

Next 5 years…

First of all, I want to increase overseas sales by entering more stores. Internally, I want to stabilize the team and operate a profitable brand in a financially stable state. After all, it is a business, so I want to be a profitable brand. In addition to this, I want to be a brand that has a collection every season at Paris Fashion Week and has a fandom. I want to be a brand with maniacs/fans, loved by consumers, editors, and stylists with fun collections. Also, I hope my collection is a meaningful one. If there is a situation to open a flagship store, I would like to do so.

Next 20 years?

I hope that a foothold is prepared to become a new luxury, a new house. Together with my team, I will make that wish come true with all my effort, ability, timing, luck, and humility. Because I know that if I collapse from exhaustion when I’m having a hard time, everything will be nothing, so I will live as a designer who has solid strength that can be displayed in difficult times. Wouldn’t it be possible then?