SUNDAE SCHOOL

FW24 LOOKBOOK

Sundae School, known for its rebellious approach to fashion and cannabis culture, is launching its Fall/Winter 2024 collection. This collection marks a new chapter in the brand’s journey, blending its Korean heritage with the spirit of youth counterculture. Resilience, both personal and collective, lies at the heart of this season’s collection, showcased through thoughtful designs that bridge the past with the present.

With the FW24 collection, Sundae School brings back its flagship smokewear line—a modern take on the traditional hanbok (한복)—a staple of Korean fashion history. This return to its roots is complemented by cozy outerwear, including bold puffers and fleeces, alongside a reimagined line of everyday essentials like sweatshirts and tees. The collection embodies the message of the season’s theme: “Alone we are silent, but together we are resilient,” celebrating the strength and unity of the Asian American experience.

“As a brand, we’ve always tried to capture both the struggle and triumphs of our community,” says Dae Lim, the founder of Sundae School. “This collection represents our evolution and the resilience we’ve had to embody—not just in fashion, but as Asian Americans navigating a complex world. It’s a reflection of how far we’ve come, and where we’re headed.”

Spearheading the design of the FW24 collection, Elizabeth Wang, Design Lead at Sundae School, draws inspiration from her own experience as a first-generation Asian American. Her vision for the collection is grounded in tradition, but it takes risks that are rooted in rebellion.

“We wanted this collection to be a statement about survival, but also about thriving,” says Wang. “We’ve incorporated elements from traditional Korean design, like the hanbok, but infused them with streetwear influences and bold details like hardware and oversized silhouettes. It’s a celebration of resilience in every sense—resilience against the odds, against silence, and against conformity.”

The accompanying campaign video for FW24, directed by Audrey Bark, Sundae School’s Creative Director, captures the essence of resilience and community in a visually stunning narrative. Set in a school, the video follows a group of young people who, after indulging in Sundae School’s mochi gummies, tap into a deeper sense of self-awareness and liberation. They’re enlightened, but they don’t care about fitting into any molds. The video perfectly balances this carefree energy with the realization that true power comes from unity—individuals thriving not just on their own terms but together as a community. It’s a statement that collective strength is what truly disrupts the norm, allowing people, especially those from marginalized communities, to break free and chart their own path forward.

“We really wanted to capture raw, authentic stories that we experience everyday – growing up, I was the only Asian American in my high school, and I often stayed silent to avoid any mishaps – but as I entered college and my professional career in NYC and met other Asian Americans and immigrant creatives who had shared my experience, I started to feel that silence was not an option because self-expression is the core of what pushes culture forward – we, as a community, had to be resilient. That’s how we conceptualized this campaign under a tagline – alone we are silent, but together we are resilient.” said Audrey Bark.

Sundae School has come a long way from its debut at New York Fashion Week, where its smokewear line made waves between 2018 and 2020. However, the global pandemic forced the brand to rethink its strategy. As physical retail waned, Sundae School pivoted to a direct-to-consumer (DTC) model, focusing on its best-selling pieces, like their iconic fleeces and sweatsuits. As their community of customers grew, so did the demand for a return to their experimental roots—leading to the reintroduction of more daring silhouettes in this FW24 collection.

“Our customers have been a huge part of this journey,” says Lim. “Going DTC allowed us to connect directly with our community and be more experimental with our designs. The demand to bring back the smokewear line was clear, and with this collection, we’ve refined it, pushing our creative boundaries further than ever before.”

For Sundae School, the FW24 collection marks a new chapter for the brand. After weathering the challenges of the pandemic and transitioning into a more community-focused, direct-to-consumer brand, Sundae School is ready to push boundaries not only in fashion but across lifestyle and culture.

“This collection is so much more than just clothing,” says Lim. “It’s a reflection of who we are, where we’ve been, and where we’re going. It’s about resilience, unity, and a new vision of what it means to be part of this community – and what it means to break the rules while honoring the traditions that shaped us.”