ComplexCon 2024 Brands to Watch

San San Gear is founder Sangyup Lee’s vision to fuse high-functioning techwear with subculture-driven aesthetics. Since its launch in 2019, the Seoul-based brand has drawn inspirations from alternative rock, hip-hop, anime, and more to push the boundaries of streetwear and outdoor gear. The name San San is derived from the Chinese character ‘璨璨’— meaning bright and shiny, a nod to the synthetic materials often associated with technical clothing.

Before San San Gear, Lee spent three years designing for skatewear brands in Korea. The streetwear scene around him had been dominated by certain formulas, and Lee felt there was a gap in the market for a brand that wasn’t just another cog in the wheel—one that could truly spotlight and collaborate with underrepresented subcultures.

“I’ve always been influenced by the people around me,” Lee explains. “San San Gear draws from whatever is happening in my environment that shapes me at the time.”

This openness to different influences is what defines San San Gear. The brand has worked with indie bands, rave DJs, 3D artists, and even gamers to create a distinctive narrative. These varied cultural elements, not typically associated with outdoor apparel, allow San San Gear to fluidly evolve in tandem.

One of the most synergistic relationships Lee has built is with the Korean alternative rock band Silica Gel. Their longstanding connection began over a shared love of music and fashion, which led to a collaboration music video for San San Gear’s Spring/Summer 2023 collection.

“Their approach to music is exactly how I approach design—mixing genres and experimenting with sound,” says Lee, who’s also styled the band on other projects. “Working together has always felt natural.”

For San San Gear’s SS24 collection ‘Scope,’ the brand produced a magazine in place of a traditional lookbook. Inspired by the DIY ethos of ’90s Japanese streetwear publications, it features interviews, behind-the-scenes content, and photo spreads that blend fact and fiction. One documentary-style editorial follows the fictional story of San San Gear “scientists” who develop technical fabrics at a pretend research lab. The magazine also includes actual interviews with experts in niche fields, like fish taxidermists who are photographed wearing San San Gear’s collection.

Collaborations are a crucial part of San San Gear’s DNA. From partnerships with global giants like Puma, ASICS, and Alpha Industries, to local collaborations with Korean creatives, San San Gear thrives on interdisciplinary connections. One recent project of note is with League of Legends, for which San San Gear designed an apparel line inspired by regions in the game called Targon and The Void. For the release of the capsule, the brand held a League of Legends championship event where friends gathered to celebrate by battling against each other. The intention, as was the case with the brand’s SS24 magazine, was to diversify San San Gear’s audience.

“We look for partners who can bring something new to the table—someone who can help us say something that we haven’t been able to express yet,” Lee says.

While the brand is often categorized as “gorpcore” or “techwear,” Lee is quick to correct that assumption. “We’re not focused on technical performance in the way most people think. For us, it’s about turning function into fashion, not the other way around,” he explains.

This philosophy is evident in the brand’s visual language, which the founder refers to as “functional maximalism.” San San Gear takes mundane design details and amplifies them to bold, visually striking levels. Think exaggerated pockets that accentuate the overall silhouette of the body rather than just being stitched on as a necessity, or curved seams and zippers that manipulate the construction of the garment.

Over the last five years, San San Gear has expanded its range of products as well as its global customer base. Japan is one of its key markets, thanks to the country’s love and connection to technical menswear and subculture. The brand can also be found in stockists around the world across Europe, America, and other parts of Asia. Prices range between $55 for tees to $389 for jackets.

Inspired by extreme sports and unconventional competitions like Red Bull’s Soapbox Race, Lee wants to bring his signature “functional maximalism” into more activewear. “The goal is to create something that’s not just for athletes, but for anyone who enjoys movement and adventure,” Lee says. It’s a sentiment that aligns with the brand’s eclectic approach to garment-making through culture.

In an industry driven by fleeting trends, San San Gear prioritizes longevity, creating pieces that are meant to last—not just in terms of quality, but in how they integrate into the wearer’s lifestyle. “We want to seep into people’s lives in a way that feels effortless,” Lee says. “We’re not here to be a trend. We’re here to stick around.”