From walking the floor as a fan and musician to claiming his space as a brand founder, CJ Stowklyn is making a defining mark at ComplexCon’s 10th anniversary in Los Angeles. Marking the debut of his streetwear label, ABSORBED6, Stowklyn blends high-end grunge, underground emo, and dystopian youth culture into a distinct visual and tactical movement. Rather than settling for a standard retail setup, his booth transforms into a multi-sensory environment—featuring black sand, custom artwork by Hecho, and collaborative touches from PARAY, DCC, CERVANT, and WET AF. Ahead of the event and the release of his new single “Back to Me,” Stowklyn breaks down the philosophy behind his inaugural capsule, the art of immersive brand building, and how he plans to convert a landmark event into lasting momentum.

Hey CJ, thanks for visiting with us.  Let’s jump right in!  

What does it feel like to step onto that floor as a brand founder rather than an attendee, especially for ComplexCon’s 10th anniversary?

It feels like aura, for the first time the room actually has to look at you instead of through you. I’ve walked that floor as a fan, a musician, a kid networking. So this time around, being a part of the 10th anniversary Officially is insanely lit and a tremendous achievement that I do not take lightly, It makes me feel good to know I’m putting myself and my brand on the map! 

How does “Absorb the Unknown” shape garments and physical space? 

Absorb the Unknown” is about embracing uncertainty and turning it into something creative. That philosophy shapes our garments through distressed textures, unconventional details, and designs inspired by time, space, and transformation. We carry that same energy into our physical spaces, creating environments that feel immersive and unexpected. I want people to experience ABSORBED6 rather than just look at it, and interpret the world in their own way.

What drew you to high-end grunge, underground emo, and dystopian youth culture for the debut capsule?

That’s the frequency I grew up on, not the mall version, the version that lived in basements, late-night sessions, and clothes that looked like they’d been through something. High-end grunge keeps the silhouette expensive. Underground emo keeps the feeling honest. Dystopian keeps it current, because the world already feels like a cracked screen. The intersection is where kids who don’t want to look “styled” still want to look intentional. I didn’t pick a trend. I picked the aesthetic that already sounded like my records.

Photo credit: SUPERMODELS UNLIMITED

Why a multi-sensory booth with Hecho’s artwork and black sand instead of a normal store?

A rack and a table is a transaction. I wanted a memory. Sand under your feet changes how you stand. Custom work on the walls gives the booth a pulse that merch alone can’t. If someone only remembers a hoodie, we failed. If they remember the temperature of the room, the texture, the way the light hit the art, then the clothes have somewhere to live after they leave. ComplexCon is already overstimulated. The only way to cut through is to make people feel something with more than their eyes.

How did the PARAY, DCC, CERVANT, and WET AF partnerships come together, and what do they add?

They came from proximity and taste, not a pitch deck. Wet AF was already part of the world I was building, hydration as merch, not an afterthought, so putting event-exclusive bottles in the booth was obvious. PARAY DCC and CERVANT clicked because they move in the same underground-luxury lane: limited, tactile, not trying to please everybody. Together they keep Absorbed6 from feeling like just apparel. It’s a lifestyle, clothes, object, liquid, moment. That’s how a brand starts feeling like a scene instead of a drop.

You referenced Jae Tips’ advice: “It’s not how you get there, it’s how you stay there.” How do you keep momentum after ComplexCon?

ComplexCon is the door, not the house. After the weekend I’m treating every follow, every photo, every conversation like inventory. Stay there means consistent drops, not one anniversary moment. Music dates, content, restocks, and actually talking to the people who showed up. Jae’s line is a warning: arrival is cheap. Presence is the work. We stay by shipping on time, keeping the world coherent, and not disappearing the Monday after the booth comes down.

How do “Back to Me” (Sept 22) and the streetwear label feed each other?

Music and fashion go hand and hand for me. There isn’t really any correlation with that specific single and the streetwear label, but in general I’m always inspired through music that feeds into my fashion or vice versa. 

Socials? 

·         Instagram: @cjstowklyn

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·         Spotify: cjstowklyn

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