When they emerge on stage at BST Hyde Park in London, the members of NMIXX appear in matching plaid pleated mini skirts that Avril Lavigne could have easily pulled from her closet in the early aughts. There's an essence of sartorial cohesion, a punk schoolgirl sheen that connects them — crisp, collared white button-downs, black knee socks, chunky loafers, red silk neckties, and long hair ribbons. Look closer, however, and the personal nuances shine through. Lily's carefully shredded hosiery. Sullyoon's ruched details. Jiwoo's boxy overshirt. Bae's sleeveless tailoring. Kyujin's wordy tee and cropped hemline. Haewon's structured 'fit. Each distinct touch adds depth to their collective image, typifying a fundamental principle of girl group coordination: achieving harmony while maintaining individuality.
The archetypes aren't nearly as rigid as the Scary, Sporty, Baby, Ginger, and Posh of girl groups past. In NMIXX's case, there's a more subtle balance between Sullyoon's soft femininity and Bae's aesthetic athleisure that works within the framework of the group's overall concept, which youngest member Kyujin describes as "freaky fresh" — a cheeky reference to their song "TANK," which opened their electrifying July festival set. Teen Vogue catches up with the members backstage a few hours later, right after snapping photos with Stray Kids' Felix, taking full advantage of the warm golden hour light.
In person, the details of NMIXX's stage looks become even more apparent, like the beauty marks dotted across Kyujin's face — "Three are real," she clarifies, “and the rest are makeup” — and the black ribbon in her hair made from delicate hanbok fabric, which, she says, was a way to carry a piece of home with them on the global stage.
"We wanted to bring out the British rock star vibe and mix that with Korean traditional charm," leader Haewon tells Teen Vogue. "It gives that freeing fusion kind of vibe." It also reflects their name: "We mixed styles because we are NMIXX," she adds with a laugh.
For NMIXX, BST marks the first time "performing in front of so many people overseas," as Lily puts it, opening her eyes widely to reflect their amazement at the sheer size of the crowd they had just performed for. “At our hearts,” she adds, "we are, of course, a Korean group, so we thought it would be super important to show a bit of our culture while showing them our talent."
NMIXX's team made accessories from traditional Korean wear, incorporating them into each member's overall look. "It also says NMIXX in a traditional Korean style," Lily says, holding the shell of her red tie between her fingers.
Like their music, which spans genres, NMIXX have a unique approach to fashion, starting with a Loewe partnership in 2022. Their looks are as bold and eye-catching as the soundscapes they create, whether dancing in head-to-toe jewel tones or wearing dresses with their own faces printed on them. For their latest single, "Dash," they balance edge with whimsy, embracing a kaleidoscope of textures and palettes.
Of course, clothing is just one facet of an image. For BST Hyde Park, their getting-ready process started at their hotel hours before they even stepped onto the festival grounds. Kyujin credits their team of hair and makeup artists for helping them look perfectly polished all day. "There have been lots of touch-ups," she explains, not a drop of sweat on her face, even in the direct sun.
When it comes to hair, several members debuted new hairstyles in the lead-up to their packed summer festival season. Few things can send shock waves throughout an entire fandom like an idol with a fresh hair color, so fans reacted with excitement when Bae showed off her platinum blond bop in late June. "She is literally a living Barbie," one fan posted. But for Bae, it wasn't exactly love at first sight. "It's better now, but when I first looked at myself in the mirror, I couldn't get used to myself," she says. “It's a bit awkward, but I'm getting used to it now.”
"I was a little bit worried that my friends didn't like it, but they actually really do," she adds.
Bae is not the only blonde in the group at the moment. Jiwoo also went a few shades lighter just before Bae's hair transformation. "I used to have pink hair and then blond hair, but now I'm thinking maybe I want to go darker again," the rapper says. After all, being blonde requires a lot of regular maintenance. "I'm using a lot of hair essence on it, so I think it's okay now." Is it soft? "Yeah," Jiwoo says confidently. Haewon leans over and grabs a strand of the younger's dyed fringe, adding her own assessment: “Not that soft.”
If there's one member who understands the struggle of being a fake blonde, it's Lily. She's tried various hairstyles and colors over the past two years, from her debut-era sharp bob and blunt bangs to her platinum cut with black ends to her signature pink braids. She surprised fans ahead of the group's festival appearance in Milan, just days before their pit stop in London, when she arrived at the airport with long, caramel-colored hair. "Whenever we look at the monitors, I always looked for the blonde ones first because that's just the easiest way to find me," Lily says. “But now when I look, there's two other people that are not me. So it's been kind of confusing, but I'm getting used to it now.”
Lately, Lily has taken pretty-in-punk style cues from rock and roll girls Avril Lavigne and Taylor Momsen. "I like a leather jacket and either ripped jeans or shorts and tights," she says. "I'm kind of into darker looks these days." She's also been expanding her collection of band tees. "I have some AC/DC ones, the Beatles, Nirvana, Rolling Stones. I've been into those recently." A well-known Swiftie, Lily recently added another Taylor Swift shirt to her collection: the "Taylor Rage" shirt from the brand Buggirl200, which reads "FEMININE RAGE!" in big, bold blue letters. "I was inspired by Sabrina Carpenter and Hayley Williams because they also were wearing that shirt," she says. “It's so cute, the baby Taylor, but then the feminine rage.”
While Lily is learning to have fun with fashion, Sullyoon opts for classic white tops and blue jeans with a dash of sophistication. "I like simple style," she says, as soft as the blushy pink hue on her cheekbones. "Her face completes the look," Jiwoo immediately quips, her face failing to hide her fondness.
Aside from enchanting her fellow members, Jiwoo prefers baggy street style. “I like boxy clothes, so I always buy oversized [pieces] and then alter and tailor the waistline,” she adds. Jiwoo also likes to take her time getting ready. "I am roommates with Jiwoo, and I've seen her change outfits at least three times before going out," Lily says. “But I commend her for that. I want to put as much effort as she does into her looks. I think it's very cool of her.”
Kyujin, who is one-third of NMIXX's maknae line with Jiwoo and Bae, lets her mood dictate her OOTDs, typically oscillating between unbothered street style and coquette. "It varies quite a bit, but I tend to go for a comfortable street style, but then sometimes I like to go for something more lovely," she says. However, one thing remains: she never leaves the dorm without adding accessories.
For practical Haewon, comfort is essential. "I'm always wearing joggers or cargo pants and comfy t-shirts," she explains. She reaches for a denim shirt if she has to dress up for important meetings. "The most important thing is being comfortable." She adopts the same philosophy for her hair, too. "I have really short hair," she says, which is easy to maintain. “These are all fake," she quips a moment later, grabbing the ends of her extensions for the show.
Though not a fixed persona, the girls refer to Bae as “the sporty one.” She likes trying new things and says her latest fixation is swimming. "Bae suits a sportier look," Lily says. As such, she typically reaches for oversized bottoms and a fitted top. "Lately, I've been going for a hockey mood, so jersey tops and sporty vibe," Bae adds. "That's the look I'm going for."
Bae pulls inspiration from her job, which allows her to try different styles daily. ("What other job would you be able to enjoy so many different hair and makeup styles and clothing?" she asks.) If she likes how something fits her on stage, that will likely influence her own style. "The sporty look [is] something that seeps into my personal style by trying out various styles [as an idol] and wearing different items and seeing which color suits me better," she says. "That's how I've gained my style."
That's exactly how Lily mastered the art of a smokey eye after the colorful, crocheted "Love Me Like This" era. "Not to sound conceited or anything, I just noticed that whenever I did heavier eyeliner, I got a lot more compliments," she says. "I was like, wait, I want to implement this into my routine."
The NMIXX girls also monitor fan reactions to gauge which 'fits spark the most enthusiasm. Sullyoon says their recent university music festival looks in South Korea were a big hit among their fans, known as NSWERS. "Surprisingly, they like it when we do more uniformed looks," Lily says. Sailor looks, schoolgirl 'fits — individual pieces connected by a singular motif.
"We've tried a lot of different styles over the years," Lily continues. "Starting from 'O.O' to now, every single comeback is different, different, different, different. That's a thing that you can look forward to." They've only released a small glimpse of their upcoming album, Fe3O4: STICK OUT, out August 19, but if the unreleased song they performed on the festival stage is any indication, they might try something more emo.
In the story film for the album, the fabrics of their identities come into focus: Bae's Puma zip-up, Lily in ripped black tights, Jiwoo's baggy hoodie dress, Kyujin's cobalt blue streaks, Sullyoon's simple frock, and Haewon's mismatched Nirvana tee and prim button-down. Suddenly, they appear dressed in tandem, a wave of darkness crashing into the frame.
"What are we going to do this time?" Lily asks no one in particular. Then, she smiles. “You never know.”
