“I opened a door that I can’t close,” Kim Hongjoong of ATEEZ admitted, the words slipping out softly like a whispered confession in a church pew, as he prepared for his debut fashion show Petit Coussin. This statement was less of an admission, but more of a thick truth that sat heavily on the tongue.  

There’s something mystical about childhood nostalgia. A single scent, sound, or the sight of a closet full of hangers can unlock old memories that unknowingly shape us. For Hongjoong, it was the recollection of playing in his mother’s boutique as a boy, where clothing racks, hangers, and boxes became his playground. A sanctuary of innocence, safety, comfort, and possibility. These feelings were forever etched within him and are now woven into his debut fashion line.

Through this whimsical act of remembrance, Hongjoong pays tribute to the boutique his mother once operated under a similar name: Petit Cochon, meaning “small pig.” Wanting something gentler and more affectionate for his own brand, he chose Petit Coussin (which is French for “little cushion.”) In reviving a piece of his past, he breathes new life into his creativity, channeling those warm memories of his mother’s shop into 24 handmade designs and a four-part fashion film, poetically released on his 27th birthday, Nov. 7.

“When I was a trainee, it wasn’t that important to me, my birthday,” he said candidly, “But after I debuted, my fans always celebrated it so hard. I realized that my birthday is a very special day for them. So, I tried to make something [special] for my birthday after that. That’s why I released this birthday project.”

What was once a day celebrated only with those closest to him has transformed into a commemorative festivity, thanks to ATINY, the fan base powering ATEEZ. With his fans and mother in mind, this collection exudes a heartfelt tenderness that Hongjoong says celebrates family, artistry, and the memories that continue to shape him.

“My mother was almost crying [when I showed her] the title ‘Petit Coussin,’” Hongjoong said. “She told me: ’Thank you so much for making my dream your dream.” Always a staunch supporter of her son, she watched the premiere via livestream, and Hongjoong couldn’t help but grin. “After watching the full show, I think she will cry again. She’s always been so emotional.”

Hongjoong’s attention to detail channels a mother's love into every stitch, woven into fabrics that feel almost frozen in time themselves.  The models, bright-eyed children, could be seen at the studio barefoot on sand inside a staged playground wearing oversized jackets, layers of tulle, shredded textiles, and garments evoking different eras, even echoes of 19th-century silhouettes, exuding a dreamlike, time-bending quality like an undiscovered Neverland. This project had been in the works for six months.

However, while this collection pays homage to his mother’s boutique, it is every bit his own creation, guided by his hand, vision, and desire to turn memory into wearable art.

“Petit Coussin is my own dream,” he declared confidently.  “For me, making my dream and chasing that dream makes me [feel] so comfortable and soft. Because if I don’t have that time [to dream], I feel very anxious.”

Always aspiring to create, Hongjoong not only shaped the designs in his collection but also the music that accompanied their showcase.  For the show, the soundtrack unfolds in segments, forming a narrative arc that moves from a gentle trickle to a resonant, full-circle finale. Among the tracks are “Echoes,” “Playground 1998,” “Petit Coussin,” and “The Edge of Tomorrow,” each title hinting at fragments of the world he built.

“Honestly, I wanted to start with very basic art,” he admitted. In reflecting on his childhood, flipping through old photos, revisiting the boy he once was, the project became deeply personal, almost sacred. Fashion has become a form of self-expression for Hongjoong, and through this collection, a mirror reflecting the parts of himself that, when pieced together, make the man he is today.

The hardest part of creating his dream collection was bringing his sketches to life.

“I heard that many designers can't draw or sketch themselves, but honestly, for me, I just wanted to start very basic. I practiced drawing every detail myself, not only for this project, but if I want to be a designer continually, I'd have to be able to draw in order to show it to others at the very minimum. That’s the hardest point when I started this project,” Hongjoong said.

Fashion has always been intertwined with the life of a K-pop idol, whether that is being dressed by top editorial team directors for a cover shoot or becoming an ambassador for a luxury brand; it’s all about looking chic in the spotlight.

"I always love to understand someone's design…I love to see the history of every brand,” Hongjoong confessed.

Like his music, Hongjoong wanted to develop something on his own terms, and this line of clothing is more than making a fashion statement. It’s an opportunity to unveil a deeper side of himself to the world.  

“It’s very [much] my new side to show my own collection. I think it will be a new start for me too,” he added optimistically.

“I gave my core energy during this project,” Hongjoong reflected. It wasn’t an easy journey, he admitted, but the best things in life rarely are. “I think I felt a little lighter,” he added with a small laugh, “but I always plan for the next things, too.”

Hongjoong, the captain of ATEEZ since its debut in 2018, a writer, composer, philanthropist, and now designer, stood before the premiere of his fashion show in November, where his vision was brought to life. It was here that a group of child models could be observed, barefoot and ethereal, like flittering fairies, lounging near the staged sandy playground slide while wearing his whimsical designs. Together, this young motley crew embodied the collection’s deeper message: that legacy, identity, and the shared thread between art and family can transcend culture and language through fashion.

“I opened the door that I can’t close,” he said. “For the last rehearsal, I watched it on the monitor, and I felt that I was the person who made the dream come true myself. When I felt that feeling, it made me think of how I can do more things after this show. I think I can be a braver person after seeing the rehearsal. That’s why at the main show I was so confident, and I just wanted to show everything.”