What Comes After Dressing BTS? Meet Seoul’s Next Fashion Export

Songzio might not be a household name in the West. But from the bespoke stage costumes worn by the Korean supergroup BTS for their highly anticipated comeback concert in March, to edgy campaigns photographed by Szilveszter Makó and featuring Korean actress Choi Hee-jin, the high-end South Korean brand is building serious cultural cachet this year, as it seeks to create long-term relevance.

Songzio was founded in Seoul in 1993 by Zio Song, a South Korean fashion designer and graduate of the prestigious ESMOD fashion school in Paris. Today, the Seoul-based label is run by his son, Jay Song, who took over as creative director and CEO in 2017. Known for its distinct artistic approach and dark, sophisticated color palettes, Songzio has become one of South Korea’s largest and most enduring independent fashion companies.

Initially, the brand operated on a much smaller scale, creating collectible pieces for specific clients, Jay Song explains. But as its customer base grows, particularly in the US, Songzio has regularly developed and sold full ready-to-wear collections, according to the designer. Speaking to Vogue Business, he shared his ambitions to “lean into [the brand’s] very unique aesthetic and strong creativity and expand not only in South Korea but globally.”

Jay Song, creative director and CEO of Songzio.

Photo: Courtesy of Songzio

Now, Songzio is investing further in the Western market, with a string of launches, starting at Paris Fashion Week this month, where it will present a Spring/Summer 2027 collaboration with the Japanese clothing label Bed J.W. Ford.

Then, in October, Songzio will release a collaboration with EgonLab, the French genderless fashion label, which is a Grand Prize finalist for the 2026 Andam competition. That same month, it will also open its first US flagship store in Soho, New York. Spread across two floors, the new boutique takes inspiration from its original multi-story flagship in Gangnam, Seoul, which is part retail, part gallery — and will feature contemporary art as well as clothing, allowing visitors to experience “Songzio’s creative universe” more fully, according to Song.

Songzio is also continuing to partner with high-profile talent for its campaigns. Song shares that the brand’s next campaign for Fall/Winter 2026 will be shot by London-based photographer Daniel Archer, who has become known for his painterly, cinematic style. (Among Archer’s other luxury clients are Dior, Brunello Cucinelli, Chaumet, and Ami Paris.)

Suga wearing Songzio’s collaborative collection with BTS, ‘Lyrical Armor’.

Photo: Courtesy of Songzio