Songzio is a south korean fashion house founded in 1993. As one of South Korea's first designer brands, Songzio represents a bridge between East and West, between tradition and avant-garde, crafting a dialogue between korean innovation and european sophistication. Converging the deliberate exuberance of the west and the raw fluidity of the east, Songzio creates a unique look between form and function, symmetry and asymmetry, perfection and imperfection.
Songzio has created an exclusive collection for BTS for their historical comeback performance ‘BTS THE COMEBACK LIVE I ARIRANG’ presented in partnership with Netflix. Designed and Conceptualized by Creative Director Jay Songzio, this collection converges Korea’s historical heritage with its artistic and avant-garde visual language, amplifying BTS’s stage narrative and presence while connecting Korea’s past, present and future.
Songzio’s collaborative collection with BTS titled ‘Lyrical Armor’, embodies the spirit of a new generation of heroes who carry the history of Korea within their bodies and souls while forging a new future. From the figures who shaped Korean history, valiant warriors, scholars, statesmen embodying dignity and intellect, and artists of profound insight and inspiration, the collection envisions BTS as pioneers whose reunion is set to be etched in pop culture history.
Each costume was meticulously developed to reflect the distinctive character of BTS’ members, while maintaining a homogenous visual flow across the stage through Songzio’s signature monochromatic palette and oriental avant-garde design. Dancers, master singers, and musicians were united within a coherent sculptural composition, forming a singular visual narrative.
Throughout the performance, Songzio’s costumes functioned as a central creative element, completing the symbolic storyline of the performance. By translating the structural beauty of traditional Korean attire into a contemporary design language, the project demonstrated how stage costumes can move beyond styling to become an integral part of a performance’s narrative.
The collection draws inspiration from Korean Armor, the robust studded armor worn by warriors of the early Joseon dynasty as they entered the battlefield, and merges it with the flowing Hanbok traditionally worn by artists and ‘Sorigun’, Korean traditional singers, who transformed the sorrow, longing, and aspirations of the Korean people into ‘Sijo’, Korean poetry and folk songs.
Through this fusion, the garments imagine the attire of heroes of a new era, figures who overcome the turbulence of history and create a new future.
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Boldly resisting the boundaries of time, form, culture, and the conventional notions of garments, the collection reconstructs Korean classical aesthetics by deconstructing traditional concepts and structures. These elements are fragmented into abstract pieces, then cut, refined, and reassembled into avant-garde silhouettes. The volumes of garments swell and recede in rhythm with the body, while the unstructured patterns and fluid drapes move like living sculptures, blurring the line between the real and the unreal while amplifying the wearer’s presence.
Clad in the remnants of history, BTS is reborn as heroes who bridge the past with the energy of the future.
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Designs for BTS
RM - Hero
This look for RM interprets the strong and heroic image he embodies as the leader of BTS through a distinctly Korean silhouette. The oriental curved shoulder line and sculpturally layered body with cascading zippers project a powerful presence on stage, while the cape like Hanbok long jacket dramatically emphasizes his stature and central role as a leader.
the Hanbok inspired robe is cut with segmented plates reminiscent of armor adorned by prominent studded nail-heads that reference traditional Korean armor. The asymmetrical high neck shirt plated like an ancient armor express his strength and elegance. In contrast, the trousers feature sharply slashed design, evoking the passage of time and the scars of a hero’s fierce battles.
Jin – Artist
Jin’s look consists of an oriental tailored jacket featuring the graceful pattern structure of traditional hanbok with a distinctive Korean collarless design adorned by Korean Armor inspired metallic studs. This is worn with a sculpturally draped shirt that evokes fluid movement and Korea’s elegant sense of beauty. Emphasizing the harmony of line and plane, the design reveals Jin’s presence as a contemporary artist who transforms song and emotion into a visual language while elegantly standing upon the turbulent histories of the past.
Suga – Architect
Suga’s look embodies the intensity and inner strength of Suga as a creator, BTS’s lead rapper who has composed countless songs and constructed performances. The contrast between structured armor-like plating and elegant silhouette expresses the emotional depth and strength of his music, revealing a coexistence of battle and contemplation, strength and resilience. The transformative trousers reinterpret traditional hanbok pants, accented with a bold belt and armor metal stud details. The design merges Korea’s restrained, contemplative sensibility with a contrasting sense of striking visual intensity.
J-Hope – Sorigun
J-Hope’s look reinterprets ma-1 jacket through dopo inspired bias cut grounded in a streetwear mood that reflects his dynamic presence as BTS’ main dancer. Asymmetrical bias lines visually reveal the rhythm of performance, while armor-inspired plating details, highlighted by metal elements symbolize strength and resilience. Bold cargo pants accented with a bold belt reminiscent of traditional martial robes, along with sturdy metal details and zipper accents inspired by traditional armor studs, create a striking focal point in the design.
The fabric of this look draws inspiration from the Junbeop, textural brush techniques, found in traditional landscape painting. The brush is layered, scratched, and repeatedly dragged across the surface. The painterly methods used to depict the rough surfaces of mountains and rocks are translated into intentionally distressed fabrics.
Jimin – Poet
Grounded in the flowing silhouettes and oriental draping characteristic of hanbok, this design interprets the delicate sensibility of JImin, BTS’s main dancer and lead vocalist, through a traditional Korean aesthetic. Light and shiny armor like plated jacket is adorned by finely crafted air-like frills and Songzio’s signature black onyx. The vertically cut skirt pants, inspired by traditional hanbok pants further imbue a sense of sculptural movement to the look. Capture his identity as a performer who writes poetry through dance and music.
V- Doryeong
V’s look reinterprets his singular aura by combining the restrained elegance of the Seonbi (scholar-gentleman) with oriental tailoring. The structural aesthetics of traditional Korean robe are transformed through contemporary cutting and layering, creating a refined yet charismatic silhouette. Through textured materials and layered details that allow for visual fluidity, the look embodies the image of a modern Doryeong, quiet yet possessing a powerful presence. The look is accented with plated innerwear inspired by Korean armor and the skirt layered, drape pants incorporating elements of traditional hanbok and Junbeop inspired ‘distressed’ textile that carry traces of history.
Jungkook – Vanguard
Jungkook’s look channels the energy of Jungkook, who embodies multiple roles as main vocalist, dancer, and rapper, through a streetwear-inspired aesthetic. The asymmetrical rider jacket is reinterpreted with oriental draping while armor-plated innerwear and asymmetrically destroyed shirt emphasizes his strength and dynamic presence. The contrast between structured armor-like plating and elegant silhouette expresses the emotional depth and strength of his music, revealing a coexistence of battle and contemplation, strength and resilience.
Designs for Co-Performers
With over 100 stores worldwide, Songzio is one of South Korea’s most influential fashion house and multi-cultural institution. Following the recent opening of its Paris and Seoul flagship stores, the brand is set to open its third global flagship store in New York City, an art and fashion space combining an art gallery with unique retail experience.
SONGZIO collection is now available at HBX.