More than a presentation of garments, Blackmerle presents BUNKER, a pop-up exhibition and immersive spatial experience in the form of a concealed hideout that transorms an abandoned inn in Changsin-dong into a living metaphor for the brand.
Disorienting at first, visitors move through fractured rooms and floors like descending layers, gradually sinking deeper into a space increasingly removed from the outside world.
BUNKER guards the self while selectively opening, offering a balance of concealment and revelation to those who enter. It’s more than a space; BUNKER is a condition: a world apart, self-contained yet permeable, and the entry point to Blackmerle’s back alley universe.
This structure reflects Blackmerle itself: a fragmented composition that, when seen as a whole, reveals a cohesive balance and a distinct presence.
BUNKER는 은신처처럼 숨겨진 공간을 통해 블랙멀의 세계관을 감각적으로 경험할 수 있도록 구성된 전시 형태의 팝업입니다.
겹겹이 쌓여 폐쇄적이지만, 동시에 은은히 비춰지는 곳. 외부로부터 자신을 지키면서도, 들어오려는 자에게는 은밀히 열려 있는 공간. 은신과 노출, 고립과 환대가공존하는 곳.
BUNKER는 창신동의 버려진 옛 여관에 브랜드의 세계관을 더해 재해석한 공간입니다. 시간의 흔적과 낡은 구조를 그대로 남긴 채, 마치 균열 난 벽 너머로 무언가를엿보듯—감춤과 드러냄의 균형 속에서 새로운 의미를 더해 하나의 ‘은신처’로 탈바꿈했습니다.
처음 들어섰을 때는 방향을 잃은 듯하지만, 서로 다른 분위기의 층과 방을 지나며 외부로부터 점점 고립된 내부로 스며드는 듯한 감각을 줍니다.
이 공간이 가지는 존재감은 블랙멀의 그것과 맞닿아 있습니다. 조각나 있지만 그 안에서 하나의 조화를 이루는—불규칙함 속의 균형, 은은함과 극함의 공존.
BUNKER OBJECTS
Bunker Objects is a series of custom modular furniture pieces, designed in-house as an extension of Blackmerle’s “reduced yet severe” design language beyond the realm of garments.
Self-supporting and unbound, each piece balances on its own center of gravity while incorporating refined interlocking and sliding mechanisms, allowing controlled reconfiguration without fastenings. The forms shift and respond with quiet precision, maintaining integrity through both balance and design. Engaging restraint, gravity, and spatial presence, the series contributes to the immersive study of form, tension, and equilibrium within the BUNKER environment.
Each object is shaped to reflect our reduced yet severe design language, with hand-finished surfaces revealing texture, layers, and subtle tonal shifts. The pieces are precise in form, held together through slats, grooves, and gravity alone, without screws or attachments. They’re not conventional furniture but architectural objects that can function as chairs, benches, tables, shelving, and more. Every piece carries its own character while maintaining the same care and attention to detail that guides our approach to clothing.
Click here to view our Bunker Objects post
‘MERLE’ SAKIORI
A very limited release of 1 of 1 Sakiori jackets and bags in the ‘Merle’ colorway, woven from nearly twenty different fabric scraps spanning Blackmerle’s past and current collections, unused deadstock, and custom-woven fabrics — all sourced from small-scale specialty mills across Japan.
Through Sakiori, disparate fabrics are hand-weaved into a single composition, creating a tangible exploration of tone, texture, and material interplay — a core element of Blackmerle’s DNA. The technique mirrors our design philosophy: just as fabrics are layered, contrasted, and balanced in the weave, so too are our garments and visual storytelling composed — subtle tensions, harmonies, and dualities forming a unified, immersive expression.
The ‘Merle’ bag becomes both a functional object and a metaphor for our world: reduced yet severe, blending in yet standing out, history and craft intertwined.
The term ‘Merle’ refers to a mottled coat pattern seen in dogs, characterized by irregular streaks and speckles. It’s also the origin of Blackmerle’s name: a stray dog coated in fragments of black, an emblem of beauty found in the harmony of irregularities.
Click here to view our Sakiori image gallery.
SIIOT
For the exhibition portion of BUNKER, we were joined by Seoul based ceramics artist Siiot,
who we’ve worked with closely, most notably on our 925 silver jewelry.
Siiot's work is deeply inspired by her profound connection with nature. Embracing a slower, more reflective pace of life, she immerses herself in the subtleties of the natural world—the shifting seasons, vibrant foliage, diverse flora and fauna, and celestial patterns. Siiot’s art captures the dynamic, often unseen vibrancy within nature, revealing the bustling ecosystems hidden in even the smallest details. Her creative philosophy blends the rational precision of Platonic design with the spontaneous, impulsive spirit of Dionysian artistry, striving for a harmonious balance between the two.
Click here to view more of Siiot's work
Extending beyond the exhibition / spatial installations, the pop-up also served as a presentation for our new collection and limited releases.
The full scope of BUNKER included the full FW25 collection, where Drops 1 and 2 were made available for the first time. A series of special edition garments produced outside the main collection using deadstock fabrics were released exclusively for the event. Event-only gifts, including the Exo Grey tote bags and dull black–plated brass pendant necklaces, were offered via the PR package and in limited quantities for in-store purchase.
A curated selection of SS26 garments was also presented, offering an early preview of the upcoming season.
Prior to public opening, the space was introduced through a private reception for selected press, collaborators, and invited guests.
For those who could not attend, we’ve documented the space digitally for you to immerse yourself in via the videos below. The 360 tour provides a full one-cut view of the entire two-floor multi-room installation, while the event recap captures the atmosphere of the exhibition.
Credits
Terry Shin (@xinalekon)
Creative Director
Justice Jersak (@jjjusticeee)
Art Direction,
Furniture & Space Design
Junhwa Ha
(@heupsu)
Videography
Siiot Jang
(@_siiot)
Ceramic Objects
Hyunsik Shin
(@_muryo)
Marketing,
Public Relations
Yoonjae Lee
(@yjae.archives)
Film Photography
Stas Mikitich (@stas_mikitich_)
Model
Geunpil Son
(@gompol_02)
Sales, Docent