Hi. We’re BACKMATTER.

noun.
sections found at the back of a book―ex. appendix, glossary―that are supplementary in nature, providing further information about some aspect of the book.
BACKMATTER started in 2017 as a knee-jerk reaction, a need, to combat accessorization of Asian symbolism in the fashion industry.
Because fuck that.
There occurs a layered reduction of significance over time when cultural motifs are deemed couture on certain bodies, and not on the bodies from which they originated.
Or when they’re robbed of the potential to connote something more beyond being decor.
Our cultures are rich with narrative, both visual and emotional.
With apparel as a medium, BACKMATTER seeks to remove the Western lens and reclaim meaning in Asian symbolism for those who actually live that narrative. The steps are small, but they’re steps.
As small as building on a colloquial phrase, to translating another from English, transversing a 21st century exchange.
Let’s speak for ourselves.
走吧!
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📝: We believe that your voice knows best. Although initially tackling certain material due to personal familiarity, it is our intention for this to be a platform that boosts visibility for all facets of Asian diaspora. If you are a Pacific Islander, South East Asian, South Asian, or East Asian, and have ideas in the same realm, please reach out and we’ll see what we can make happen together! wearebackmatter@gmail.com
📢: This initiative is for Asian bodies. Depending on the item, please be conscious of your desire to wear a narrative that is not yours.