Designer, DJ, and stick-and-poke tattoo artist for New York’s club kids, Benjamin Cho passed away on Saturday, according to reports from friends on social media. The indie designer was a mainstay in the early 2000s downtown New York scene and a popular DJ who hosted Morrissey nights at Sway nightclub. His front row often included Chloë Sevigny, the Olsen twins, and Natasha Lyonne.
A 2007 New York Times profile wrote, “if Elsa Schiaparelli’s car smacked into Vivienne Westwood’s, the ambulance crew would find Ben Cho.” That manifested in dresses with knitting needles in the neckline, and white (faux) deer heads as hats.
His friends took to social media to share news of his death. Musician Cat Power wrote in a poem, “So much love I could cough the stuff up and keep on keeping on / We love you Ben.”
