K-pop has more of an influence on fashion than you might be aware of. Today, k-pop idols are more than just performers. Both their beauty and fashion has impacted Korean modern culture by a lot and these trends have begun to make their way into western culture. This term is known as the ‘Korean Wave.’ Korean fashion has slowly been taking over the western fashion industry as k-pop continues to become admired globally. Within this year, many Korean idols have been announced as global ambassadors for brands or can be seen attending fashion events. These campaigns for them have been successful so far, especially with their enormous fan bases. Examples would be Jungkook of BTS being the Ambassador for Calvin Klein that broke the internet, Jennie of Black Pink for Chanel, and Danielle of NewJeans, who debuted about a year ago only, for Burberry and Yves Saint Laurent.
K-pop is a form of popular music, composed of many different styles and genres around the world. This cultural music began in 1940 in South Korea, however, the modern form began in the 1990s. After 2003, a new generation of idols started to break out and this was when the popularity of the form of music. Now, this industry has given themselves a self acclaimed name to have a global fandom.
The rise for Korean culture has occurred over decades. It is said that the ‘Korean Wave’ started with the popularity of the Netflix Korean drama “Squid Game.” The global audience began to direct their attention from Korean drama stars to idols. The original idol to give credit to for the growth is G-Dragon of BIGBANG, when he attended the 2015 fashion show and was one of the very few Asian stars to have been invited. Ever since then, the Korean entertainment industry has grown and idols have gotten recognition in the fashion world.
Korean entertainment has not just impacted the global brands reputation, but also the marketing for these brands. When these idols that are loved by millions are seen wearing a specific brand, their collections will tend to sell out within minutes. Back when the Grammy nominated group BTS was seen with their airport wear while traveling, they were spotted wearing Louis Vuitton from top to bottom. Their collection sold out immediately after photos of them were released.
Adding on to the Korean culture influence, Korean fashion has gained a reputation globally for themselves with the digital era. The fashion has also created an inspiration to luxury brands. Companies like Givenchy and Balmain have designed high-fashion looks that were inspired by the looks K-pop idols usually promote. Over the years, the Korean fashion trends posted in the media have been making its way to influence westerners to experiment with their own styles as well. The promotion of baggy shirts and bucket hats has made its way to a more classy, minimalistic style.
Comments