Hosiery for your head? Not a stretch for hat brand ATiiSSU

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Hosiery for your head? Not a stretch for hat brand ATiiSSU

Published: 21 May. 2025, 17:17 Updated: 22 May. 2025, 08:32

LEE JIAN
[email protected]

Audio report: written by reporters, read by AI

Stray Kids' Felix is seen wearing Atiissu's hat on his Instagram account [SCREEN CAPTURE]

What if your next hat came from a hosiery drawer?

ATiiSSU, a headwear brand launched by the founder of the popular sunglass label Gentle Monster, officially debuted on Wednesday with a collection that reimagines women's stockings for the head instead of the legs.

At its first flagship store in Gangnam District, southern Seoul, which opened on the same day, fashion-forward individuals were busy tying lace stockings like durags, swapping one wild hat after another and tilting their heads in a dozen different directions.

The scene had a certain "Mean Girls" element about it, reminiscent of when Regina George turns up in a tank top with nipple cutouts and suddenly everyone follows suit. But if any brand is to lead Korea’s next avant-garde fashion trend, it’s IICombined, the creative force behind cult-favorite beauty and fragrance brand Tamburins and futuristic eyewear label Gentle Monster.

Its newest line, ATiiSSU, aims to design timeless pieces and push the boundaries of what a hat can be.

Headwear from the newly launched headwear brand ATiiSSU [IlCOMBINED]

The nascent brand garnered prelaunch hype when Stray Kids member Felix was spotted with ATiiSSU’s hats on Instagram late last month.

Inside the flagship store of ATiiSSU, a new headwear brand launched on May 21.[LEE JIAN]

Although the Gangnam store wasn’t very busy for the first two hours after opening, online sales, which launched simultaneously with the brick-and-mortar store, were booming.

Throughout the two-story building, over 100 gender neutral caps, beanies, bucket hats, cowboy hats and balaclavas were on display, including ones that fashion women's stockings as headwear and others that incorporate the fabric into caps. Prices range from 72,000 won ($52) to 168,000 won.

A hat from the newly launched headwear brand ATiiSSU[IlCOMBINED]

The Wing Cap, a leather hat with mini batman-like wings on the sides, was also exclusively available at the offline store.

Its most wearable caps and beanies made their way most often to the cashier. Still, the bolder pieces were the ones that were picked up and tried on the most.

Inside the flagship store of ATiiSSU, a new headwear brand launched on May 21.[LEE JIAN]

Physical space has always been an important component for IICombined brands, and ATiiSSU’s flagship maintained a similar bold, conceptual and slightly disorienting aesthetic to its sister labels.

At the center of the first floor is a striking feature referred to as the “tunnel,” a spatial work of art that embodies the brand’s desire to transcend invisible boundaries. This bold installation is meant to disrupt conventional movement through the space, prompting visitors to reconsider the familiar and engage with the unexpected, according to IICombined. Contrasting elements, such as yellow-toned visuals and stark white objects, enhance the sense of visual rhythm and immersion.

A cap from the newly launched headwear brand ATiiSSU, on display at the flagship store in Gangnam District, southern Seoul [LEE JIAN]

Upstairs, the second floor carries a lighter mood through the use of blue and white interior design. A collaborative piece with visual artist Adrian Kiss, who mainly works in Hungary and the Netherlands, particularly stood out. It is a deconstructed secondhand sofa fused with Kiss’s signature “MOTO 6” quilted leather series, resulting in a sculptural-like furniture piece combining style and function.

ATiiSSU’s flagship store is open every day from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

BY LEE JIAN [[email protected]]