Post Archive Faction & Politics
I'm finna get real political on y'all (that is a joke).
It would be a huge lie if I told you I was a long-standing fan of Post Archive Faction (PAF). I was first introduced to the Korean-based label when I discovered their (finally released) collaboration with On Running back in January; which was originally showcased at f/w PFW back in June 2023 (that’s Paris Fashion Week for anyone who isn’t as in the know as I am). With the excitement for collaboration of shoes and garms, it made me excited to dive deeper into the brand and their unusual political agenda.
It would also be a lie to say that South Korea is not becoming a powerhouse around the world, but specifically in fashion. I will admit, a lot of these avant-garde labels coming out of Special K aren’t necessarily offering things I see myself wearing (and even affording tbh), but I am fascinated by the labels’ marketing, and I find a lot of the garms I see are pleasing to the eye, even though it’s not something I would consider a part of my personal style — YES! You are allowed to enjoy things even if you wouldn’t wear them!
Dongjoon Lim and Sookyo Joeng launched PAF in 2018 and in a world where brainrot fashion archive enthusiasts are stuck in the past, PAF are bringing you to the future. In an attempt to move fashion forward, the Korean Label are making a bold statement by creating their archive for the future — almost as if they’re saying, ‘Yeah, we rock, and we know you’re going to love our clothes in 2 months, 2 years, 2 decades. We’re here to say.’ PAF blurs the lines between reality and imagination when deconstructing different garments and reassembling them in different ways to make foreign designs feel familiar.
Political leaning
Obviously, the brand does not divulge its political beliefs; however, they use the political scale for their fashion radicalism. PAF refers to the political spectrum to help articulate how eccentric a jawn can be - Left, Centre, and Right. This is something that I love and I think it’s a smart strategy to broaden one’s demographic by simply designing in a way that allows all fashion enjoyers to participate in the brand.
Right
PAF’s clothing that falls into the ‘right’ category are garments that take the more conservative approach. These are garments that you wouldn’t necessarily call innovative at first glance, but the textures and subtle changes are what make them stand out. These are garments for people who know what they like (or maybe understand the limitations of their own wardrobe) and don’t have a need to sway too far from what they like.
Centre
Like political leaders, PAF takes queues from both the left and the right for these garments. They’re not outlandish by any means, but they definitely try different techniques and add a more technical approach by adding a subtle asymmetrical design in some way, or even using a different fabric. These garments are great if you’re trying to shake up your wardrobe (or archive) without being too self-conscious.
Left
The radical left strikes again with the wacky and unruly desire to break said rules. These garments are not for the faint of heart. If you think you could pull these garments off, you’re wrong — not because they’re trash, but because you can’t handle them. Frilly materials, wacky silhouettes and lots of zippers later, and you’ve found yourself the creme de la creme of the avant-garde. These jawnz are great for people who are comfortable in their skin and scaring the hoes.
Running and fashion as one
I was inspired to write on the South Korean label because of their recent collaboration with On Running. The shoe is a part of their Current Form 1.0 Collection that also features garments as well, with more shoes and garms coming further down the road. I think this collab is perfect, as On and PAF are two avant-garde peas in a pod. On is a very new running brand that often gets a lot of hate (I think an unnecessary amount of hate), but they’re also bringing new designs and technology to the Nike-infested running world. I’ve touched on athletic wear and its impact on fashion, as well as doing a whole series on running and fashion (also coined runningcore because ‘fashion in running’ was cumbersome to type over and over again) in recent times as well.
I think this collaboration is important for the current state of runningcore. Giving an avant-garde studio like PAF the creativity to work within the running space was a bold but necessary move if we, as a community, want to further the runner’s aesthetic. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t think the current zeitgeist is inherently bad because there are a number of non-running labels making a positive impact, as well as running labels improving their current catalogues due to the higher benchmark these newcomers are setting (get yo’ weight up).
Will I ever be able to afford PAF? Probably not… But these garms are gorgeous, and I can’t wait to see how far they push the boundaries of fashion as a whole, but more importantly, the running scene.