This year’s fashion weeks were full of not only the hottest looks, but the world’s most popular K-Pop stars. V, Lisa, and Rosé—musicians from popular groups BTS and BLACKPINK—have emerged as the most impactful advocates for iconic luxury brands Céline and Saint-Laurent. How did this happen?
In recent years, K-Pop has unfolded as a spectacle, courtesy of the global momentum achieved by behemoth groups like BTS and BLACKPINK. The music, hailing from South Korea, has dominated the Western bubble of music via chart placements, music festivals, fashion shows, and beyond.
My fandom of K-Pop began in what I felt was the OG golden era, with groups like SNSD, 2NE1, KARA, f(x), SISTAR and 4minute (shameless girl group stan here, if you couldn’t tell). It has been particularly interesting to witness K-Pop take centre-stage in the world of luxury fashion.
My enjoyment of luxury fashion has historically involved endlessly scrolling through Vogue slideshows, or going into Zara to find my version of the runway (shout-out to the era of Valentino lace—you did wonders for my wardrobe, Zara). Now, my engagement with luxury fashion seems exclusively tied to what BLACKPINK are wearing to each Fashion Week, and which members of my favourite groups will be hailed as the next luxury fashion ambassadors.
This year alone, we saw:
- BTS musicians V and RM join Céline and Bottega Veneta, respectively.
- Le Sserafim and Felix of Stray Kids join Louis Vuitton.
- Solo rapper Youngji join Coach as its first South Korean ambassador.
Each month brings us more exciting partnerships, but the question remains: what is it that makes K-Pop idols such a driving force in the luxury space?
K-Pop x Brand Affinity
One standout element of the partnerships established with K-Pop idols is existing brand affinity. Loewe, which recently appointed NCT’s Taeyeong as an ambassador, cited Taeyong’s long-time adoration of the brand and idiosyncratic style, making him an exciting fit for the daringly quirky brand. So far this year, Taeyeong has generated $1.6M EMV for Loewe.
We see the same trends elsewhere, with Dahyun, member of the girl group Twice, attending numerous Michael Kors fashion show before securing her status as an official ambassador. More importantly, fans who view these artists on a daily basis come to identify these artists with their respective brands.
BLACKPINK x Luxury
Let’s look at BLACKPINK, one of the most followed K-Pop groups on social media. Members Jennie, Rosé, Lisa, and Jisoo each boast a series of luxury ambassadorships.
Credit: Chaengeryang on Kpopping.com
From January to October 2023, K-Pop idols enjoyed the highest EMV for brands like Saint Laurent, Céline, Chanel, and Dior:
- Saint Laurent: Rosé was the brand’s No. 1 creator, driving upwards of $8.9M EMV
- Céline: V (BTS) and Lisa (BLACKPINK) occupied Céline’s top two creator spots, driving over $4.4M and $4.1M EMV, respectively
- Chanel: Jennie was the brand’s top creator, inspiring $6.9M EMV
- Dior: Jisoo was among Dior’s most impactful creators (second to their newest ambassador, Thai actor Nattawin Wattanagitiphat), driving $8.2M EMV.
Many of these ambassadorships began between 2018 and 2021, making these partnerships a testament to the success of long-term relationships with individuals that truly align with a brand.
Since their first performances of debut singles “Boombayah” and “Whistle,” BLACKPINK has adorned luxury goods.
Jennie, often called the “Human Chanel,” is known for her image and style, which blends seamlessly with Chanel’s elegant and timeless image. Seeing Chanel on Jennie’s Instagram just makes sense. When Saint Laurent, Céline, Dior, and Chanel each created custom outfits for the band’s recent BORN PINK tour, it made sense because of each member’s gradual positioning as true fans of these brands.
Jennie, a top creator for Chanel by Earned Media Value in 2023
The respective Earned Media Value accrued by each star via their continued brand affinity is significant. EMV will only be as high as the engagements that certain content accrues, and engagements only occur when audiences see content that they enjoy, understand, and are receptive to.
Brand ambassadors like BLACKPINK are not powerful simply because they are BLACKPINK—though that certainly helps—but because they also successfully transcend the confines of “musician” or “influencer” by engaging with brands that make sense for them—and, consequently, their audiences.
BLACKPINK’s Earned Media Value Over Time
Whilst BLACKPINK members dominated the EMV rankings for their respective brands during Fashion Weeks, they trailed off between them. Even so, they outpaced other creators over a long-term view.
In September 2023, Rosé was Saint Laurent’s No. 2 earner, but in October 2023, Rosé didn’t make the Top 25 for Saint Laurent at all. Across all of 2022 and 2023, however, Rosé was No. 1 by a mile.
Top Creators for YSL in 2023 includes K-Pop star Rosé
Similarly, Lisa was a top creator for Céline in October ‘23, but was not amongst the brand’s top 25 creators in September ‘23.
Céline Top Creators in October 2023 includes BLACKPINK star Lisa
This is a truly successful example of exactly how these brands have positioned BLACKPINK members as standout figures during fashion shows.
Since EMV is a direct representative of how many eyes are on any single post, and the BLACKPINK girls have all eyes on them during these significant moments, BLACKPINK’s hold on these top houses provides one of the most salient examples of why prioritizing audience engagement is a winning long-term strategy. Chanel might be putting on the show, but Jennie is the event.
This success is evident historically, too. Across all of 2021, the BLACKPINK girls inhabited the top No. 1 to No. 3 positions for each of their respective fashion houses.
Top Creators in 2021 for Dior, No. 1 is, Jisoo, BLACKPINK star
In fact, this pattern has been consistent since 2019. If we tallied the top 25 creators for Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent, and Céline in 2022, 19 out of 100 were either K-Pop idols or Korean fashion outlets (often speaking about said idols). From January to October 2023, 24 of the top 100 creators across Dior, Chanel, Saint Laurent and Céline were K-Pop affiliated.
BLACKPINK’s domination across the conversation around these four elite brands is only a fraction of the work they do. Members also relish in ambassadorships with fine jewelry, beauty, and apparel brands. If these stars can penetrate the most exclusive industry, imagine what these strategies can do when applied by brands with a smaller footprint.
What’s more, BLACKPINK isn’t the only K-Pop group taking advantage of long-term partnerships:
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- RM of BTS is Bottega Veneta’s top creator for the time period monitored.
- Among Loewe’s top 25 creators is NCT member Taeyeong, as well as newer K-Pop group NMIXX.
- Prada has long-term partnerships with boy-groups ENHYPEN and NCT (spots No. 1 and No. 2, respectively). Trending soloist Jeon Somi (if you are reading this, Somi, I love this for you) secured a top five creator position, while brand ambassador Sana (as well as her adored group TWICE) have landed in the top 25
- Louis Vuitton has successful partnerships with NCT, Jackson Wang, Sakura of Le Sserafim, and Stray Kids, whose members land in the brand’s top 25 ambassadors.
K-Pop has become a force to be reckoned with, not only musically but also in the world of luxury fashion. It takes just one K-Pop music video to understand why, so here’s my personal favourite (I love the Mary Katrantzou moments).
Brands that do well with K-Pop stars understand how to create partnerships as exciting as the genre itself. If Jisoo says the mini Lady Dior is the bag I should have, then I trust her, even if my bank account does not. Jisoo, if you have a spare, please send it to me.
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