Liner Notes: Blondie (with Son Jung Wan)

Let’s start this music editorial out on a new note: liner notes.

If you’re like “WHAA” here’s the scoop: liner notes are the writings found on the sleeves of LP record albums and in booklets which come inserted into the compact disc jewel case or the equivalent packaging for vinyl records and cassettes. They’re basically the cliff’s notes to the album: giving you the juicy scoop behind the music.

Before I embark us on that juicy first scoop, I’ll own up to a mini disclaimer: there’s no video. I know, I’m an asshole, fucking sue me. Between NYFW and a few photo shoots, I lost my mini SD card with the clips on it. That’s also the reason why this post is so fucking late. Sorry, fam. It’s just been one of those months.

Now, back to to the fun shit.

In the music arena, there’s nothing nearer and dearer to my heart than classic rock/punk. It’s the birthplace of the music we listen to today, whether purely or via a sick DJ remix. One of the first female voices I heard (courtesy of my father’s extensive vinyl collection) was Debby Harry. Her band’s vibe and music completed me, along with her badass/glamourous juxtaposition. I’m pretty sure it was the early flickers of my desire to go platinum blonde: no disrespect to Gwen Stefani, who made it my life mission.

Blondie: Where It Started

You may know the popular songs, but what about where the vision started? Debby co-founded the band with Chris Stein, bringing together wildly different styles together as one: disco, punk, and rock & roll, to name a few. It was the intersection of all of this that later got her and the band inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2006. The merging of seemingly opposite music styles were the early stages of what we call today remixes. The song Rapture was just that: hip hop intersecting with rock and disco.

However, it wasn’t just the music they created that made her such a wild success, it started with her personality and unapologetic style. Hailing from my local neighboorhood, the Lower East Side, she embodied the punk spirit but made it her own: irreverent yet glamorous. It’s one of the things I respect the most about New Yorkers: the ability to be honestly creative and willing to push boundaries of trends. Debby’s ability to merge glamour with the rough edges of rock & roll was exactly why I admired her. She proved that a woman could be both glamorous and badass.

Son Jung Wan

Runway presentations are my happy place as a creative. It’s the foundation of future trends, and also reimaginings of former eras. This past years’ NYFW presentations from Son Jung Wan were full of ’80’s glamour: sequins, structured shoulders, and slightly undone hair. When I saw this design for the first time on the runway this past September, I immediately thought of Blondie. It’s shimmering and bold structure pointed to the disco era, and I wanted its story to continue to blossom outside the runway bubble.

What I love most about Son Jung Wan’s designs are the bold and non-traditional details that accompany traditional designs and structures. Holographic material and sequins are unusual spring materials, and it’s exactly what makes it so fitting as a reimagining of Debby Harry’s artistry in today’s modern designs. I’m willing to bet if this design went back in time it would have been a match made in heaven. There would also absolutely be some Off-White in the mix as well: I’d place a large bet on that.

Outfit Details

Custom Design by Son Jung Wan SS19 / Jewelry c/o Ragen Jewels