For musician, designer, and visionary creator CJ Stowklyn, streetwear and sound are not separate pursuits—they are colliding dimensions of a single aesthetic universe. Ahead of the highly anticipated ABSORBED6 showcase, Stowklyn sits down with Top Buzz Magazine to discuss the dystopian textures, exclusive designer collaborations, and rebellious spirit driving this year’s debut. From reimagining everyday essentials into lifestyle statements to capturing the raw, unpredictable energy of Los Angeles, this is world-building on an entirely new scale.
Step inside the mind behind the movement as we dive into the creative chaos, upcoming music releases, and physical exclusivity defining the future of the brand. Let’s hand the mic over to CJ to break it all down.
Q: ABSORBED6 is debuting at ComplexCon with a multi-sensory portal featuring tactile black sand and a custom mural by Hecho. What inspired you to build an immersive experience rather than a standard retail booth?
A: I wanted people to experience ABSORBED6 instead of just looking at it. The brand has so much to do with atmosphere and the unknown, so a normal booth didn’t really make sense to me. I wanted somebody to walk in and immediately feel like they entered a different space.
Q: The brand mantra is “Absorb the Unknown,” exploring themes of distortion, gravity, time, and transformation. How do these dystopian themes manifest in the physical design of the capsule?
A: A lot of it comes through in the textures, silhouettes and imperfections. The black sand, distressed pieces, oversized shapes and darker visuals all represent that feeling of something being familiar but slightly off. I wanted the whole setup to feel like it came from somewhere between the future and the past.
Q: You’re launching an exclusive collaboration line at the event, including handmade one-of-one caps with DCC and tanks with PARAY. What drew you to work with designer Daniel and the PARAY brand for these event-exclusive drops?
A: I’m really big on working with people who have their own identity. Daniel brings a handmade, personal element through DCC, and PARAY has a completely different energy that still fits into the ABSORBED6 world. I didn’t want collaborations that just had two logos on a piece, I wanted each one to actually feel like a meeting of two creative perspectives.
Q: You’re also launching your sister brand, WET AF Water, at the booth with the tagline “Drink more water. It’s wet as fuck.” What’s the story behind bringing a water brand into the streetwear marketplace?
A: Honestly, I thought water needed better branding. We interact with it every single day, but nobody really treats it like a lifestyle product. WET AF is me taking something completely normal, giving it personality and making it something people actually want to interact with and be seen with.
Q: Giving away free tote bags to the first 100 booth visitors each day is a huge perk for fans. How important is direct community engagement to you during major culture conventions like ComplexCon?
A: It’s probably one of the biggest reasons I wanted to do ComplexCon in the first place. Online, you can see numbers and comments, but nothing replaces actually meeting someone who has been following what you do. I want people to feel like they’re part of the brand, not just customers walking through a booth.
Q: Underground emo aesthetics and high-end grunge are making major waves in youth culture right now. What sets the ABSORBED6 interpretation of these styles apart from other emerging streetwear brands?
A: I’m not really trying to recreate what’s already happening. I pull from a lot of different places, music, old clothes, futuristic visuals, internet culture, high fashion and things that feel almost uncomfortable. ABSORBED6 is less about following one aesthetic and more about creating its own atmosphere.
Q: You are choosing to keep all three collaborative lines strictly event-exclusive while releasing mainline items on absorbed6.com later. Why was keeping that physical exclusivity so crucial for this debut?
A: I wanted there to be a real reason to be there. If you’re standing inside the ABSORBED6 space at ComplexCon, I want you to have access to something that somebody scrolling online that day doesn’t. These pieces become memories of the event, and I think that makes the first chapter more meaningful.
Q: As an artist based in Los Angeles, how does the energy of LA’s streetwear and music scenes fuel your daily creative process?
A: LA is constantly giving you something to look at. You can go from a studio session to a fashion event to seeing somebody completely reinvent themselves on the street. There’s so much individuality here, and being around that definitely pushes me to keep experimenting instead of getting comfortable.
Q: With viral hits and strong engagement across TikTok and Instagram, what role do social platforms play when testing out new design concepts or teaser tracks?
A: Social media is basically a live feedback loop for me. I can put an idea out there, see what people react to, and sometimes the audience will notice something I didn’t even think was going to stand out. I still trust my own instincts, but I like using the internet as a way to see what connects before I fully release something.
Q: Your upcoming track “Back to Me” dropped right in the middle of your ComplexCon momentum on September 22nd. Can you give us a buzz-worthy breakdown of what fans can expect from the track?
A: “Back to Me” is emotional but still has that early 2000’s pop vibe to it, It’s about that feeling of finding your way back to something, or someone, you couldn’t completely let go of. I wanted it to feel like something you could play alone at night but also hear blasting through a car with the windows down.
Q: Streetwear trends move at lightning speed—what is one trend you think is here to stay, and one you’re ready to see transform?
A: I think oversized silhouettes are here to stay because people are finally prioritizing how clothes feel and move instead of everything having to be perfectly fitted. As for what I’d like to see transform, I think trend cycles in general could slow down a little. I’d rather see people develop their own style and wear something for years than feel like they have to buy a completely new identity every few months.
Photo Credits: Scott Serrano/ CJ Stowklyn