A Conversation with Saman Bakayoko, a.k.a. Armor Girl: Leaving Room for Commentary

Graphic by Amira Dossani

If you’re anywhere near as morbidly online as me, you’re probably aware of The Armor Girl of NYC. She’s been prancing, or clanking, rather, around New York City at fashion week after parties, private access photoshoots at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and day-to-day life in her full suit of armor and chainmail, and the internet’s been eating it up (or wholeheartedly spitting it out). I sat down with Fashion Institute of Technology student Saman Bakayoko (a.k.a. Armor Girl) to talk about her fashion philosophy, reaching your creative potential and her full suit of armor on the NYC streets. 

Photo by Taryn Segal

STITCH: Let’s start simple: where are you from and what do you do?

Saman Bakayoko: I’m from New York City. Literally everything you see me do on TikTok is what I do -- just be creative, be myself, be authentic. I’m an advertising, marketing and communications major, and I already have my Associates in it. I’ve worked in PR, I’ve worked in marketing, and those jobs are really fun, but I’ve realized that I’m a very creative person, and they were very time-consuming and draining jobs. So I left those jobs to do what I do now -- which I would say is like creative directing.

STITCH: How would you define your personal style, and how has it evolved into what it is now?

SB: I don’t think I have one specific aesthetic. I wake up, and I dress based off how I feel. I think it’s just fun to experiment. I mentioned this in my W Magazine article as well: we’re all avatars. Everyday is a new day, and you’re able to be whoever you want. I think we have the freedom to do that, but a lot of people aren’t aware of that. Or that may not be them, which is also OK.

Photo by Sweekriti Dahl

STITCH: I feel like there’s two reasons for someone dressing extravagantly; it can either be for the purpose of making a fashion statement or for inner-self expression. Do you relate more to the latter?

SB: I think it’s a mix because me and fashion -- it’s just something that I sort of grew with. I used to go to Binghamton University. My style pre-Binghamton was more traditional. When I left Binghamton, I was a little lost puppy, so I had to find myself, and I guess I find myself through fashion. I think it started becoming more camp when I started going to Coachella and when I started joining the party scene. That’s when my brain would put together looks, and I’d do what I could to execute the vision in my mind.

STITCH: So would you say the people that you encountered at Coachella and in the party scene were your biggest inspirations?

SB: Actually, no. People think I’m the most educated person when it comes to fashion and designers, but I’m quite literally the opposite. I don’t really have any fashion inspirations. I think it’s just my brain. I’ve always been very creative. I see things, and I pull inspiration from them. But I feel like, and I don’t even know if this sounds cocky, but I feel like I’m sort of a muse. So when I would go to Coachella and go to parties -- and I think it’s all about energy as well -- people would flock towards me. I remember I was at the Doja Cat set last year at Coachella when I had a look of full glitter around my eyes like a mask and then on my lips. And this girl between sets was facing towards me, and she was like, “I’m so sorry I’m gonna be looking at you the whole time,” because with the lights it just looked crazy. And I feel like that maybe is my biggest motivator: to inspire people that you can wear whatever you want, you can look how you want. 

Photo by Samuel Japsi

STITCH: Would it be more accurate to say that it’s a question of unlocking that creative potential from within yourself rather than taking source material from outside?

SB: Yes, I like that.

STITCH: How did Armor Girl come to be?

SB:  I originally brought armor pieces for Coachella believe it or not. I was thinking metal armor would be so cool to wear. Obviously not the full suit, but I brought some pieces. The recent Bella Hadid Heaven campaign was my original idea for Coachella. A really badass look was what I was going for. There were people passing in golf carts and they were like, “Can we take pictures with you?” while I’m having wardrobe malfunctions. I’m like, “Guys, my chainmail bra is coming off me.” In my mind I was like, “Did I waste my money? I spent all this money on something that I cannot even wear.” But it wasn’t that deep, so I put on my chainmail headpiece, the pauldrons, the bra, and then I put on my Ricks and just went to Coachella. It was heavy, but it worked. Me deciding to wear armor in the middle of the desert wasn’t the best idea, but here I am because of that one decision.

Carlijn Jacobs/Marc Jacobs

STITCH: The “Armor Girl” moniker: do you like it, do you hate it?

SB: I like it. I think it’s a cute name. I think they’re just “girl-ifying” everybody. You know, like “Tube Girl,” “Armor Girl;” we’re the girl-ification of social media right now. 

STITCH: Why did you choose fashion instead of some other creative pursuit?

SB:  I don’t think I’ve ever really known what I wanted to be when I was younger. At one point, I wanted to be a marine biologist because I was so interested in the ocean, and we all watched “H2O.” In 2021, [my old best friend and I] went to LA for the first time, and we saw a psychic because I’m spiritual. I’m a Tarot reader. We went to see a psychic, and they told me that I would have a career in fashion. This was before FIT, before all of this. Basically what I’m doing right now is what they told me in 2021.

STITCH: What’s been the most surreal moment so far?

SB: The MET was really exciting to me because I love the Arms and Armor exhibit. I feel like the most exciting moments I’ve had were when I just went out and did my own thing and even collaborated with other creators. I was recently on campus, and my friend who’s another creator Cory Strike was a princess, and another creator was a dragon. We just ran around campus and staged a kidnapping. And everyone loved it. We were just having fun creating videos. Stuff like that brings me so much joy. Why take life so serious? 

STITCH: Do you feel like combining these different time periods (e.g. wearing armor pauldrons with jeans and a t-shirt) allows you to approximate your own unique style better?

SB: I do things on a whim. One day, I literally woke up and was like, “I’m gonna start a fashion line.” So I went out. I bought a bunch of materials, started ordering stuff, figuring things out that day. My younger sister had tickets to AfroPunk, and she couldn’t go so she gave the tickets to me. I hit my friend up like, “Do you want me to make you something to wear? We’re basically going to steal the show. Would you wear something if I made it?” They said yes. [At the show], we kept getting stopped to get our pictures taken outside. That night, I posted it: “I’m starting a fashion line. Details coming soon.” Barely had a name, barely had anything, but I was like, “Just do it.”

STITCH: What information about your line, Yoko, can you give us now?

SB:  I want to make a motherboard breastplate with computer parts. I just have a lot of cool ideas surrounding that. I did slow down on it a bit because I am taking commissions right now. Then, I want to learn how to work with metal and actually create armor. Right now, I’m researching and learning how to make an armor heel. . [Also,] I’m learning how to sew better, so I can create some sick piece ideas that I have. It’s not only going to be like metal and stuff; I want to make pants and dresses and traditional fashion, but I think it’s fun to start with campy and untraditional things first.

Saman styling a breastplate from her brand Yoko, Photo by Abbi Crossman

STITCH: What’s something upcoming that you can talk about that you’re super excited about?

SB: We’re planning a medieval rave next year with [a lot of] sponsors. I obviously can’t talk too much about that, but it’s going to be a huge event. I’m just mainly planning on growing my social media. There’s some potential collaborations for Yoko coming out soon. Yeah, just growing as a creator.

*Responses have been edited for length and clarity