Are Stylists Relying On Luxury Brand Name Clothing For K-Pop Idols Too Much?
It has been a long time that idol group members are selected as brand ambassadors to promote luxury brand name goods. Often times these idol members are called the "human (luxury name brand)" as the brand outfit perfectly emphasizes the individuality of the idol and complements their bodies well. However, there are times idol member stylists insist on dressing the idol group member in an outfit that does not fit well as they only focus on brand recognition.
As the popularity of K-pop increases globally, the proportion of idol models in the fashion industry also is increasing every day. Global K-Pop idols have begun to take over the position of Ambassador, which used to be limited to some of the most top actors and models who had global influence. In the case of BLACKPINK, all members were selected as ambassadors for different global luxury brands and have been praised for their fashion selections.
According to fashion columnist Jeong So Young, the marketing influence of idols or influencers is increasing day by day. In the past, luxury brands managed their marketing models by dividing celebrities into different ranks. However, that boundary has been blurred as there are more and more idols who become globally recognized. Hence, these idol group members have a strong promotional effect when they wear brand name clothing.
Still, there are times that stylists disappoint fans when the idol group members are dressed with ill-fitting clothing or mismatched colors despite being dressed in new luxury clothes.
On January 10th, the members of BTS appeared at the 35th Golden Disc Awards all wearing outfits from a Luxury brand's 2021 Spring-Summer collection. Some fans were disappointed as they said the jackets were ill-fitting or the length of the pants did not fit certain members. Other netizens criticized that the individuality of each member and of the group had disappeared.
Not only that but the tvN drama 'True Beauty' was also under fire when netizens criticized the fashion of the actors on the show. Most netizens criticized that the luxury brand denim jacket that Cha Eun Woo wore in episode seven did not fit the concept of the show. Netizens commented, "I thought that this scene was from the 'Reply' series," and "Cha Eun Woo would look good in anything but his hair and the jacket did not suit him well at all."
Such harsh criticisms are directed to the stylist of the idol member. Many point out that it seems that certain stylists neglect their duty as stylists and only focus on the name of the luxury brand.
In response, one idol stylist said, "These days, securing a luxury brand sponsorship is linked to the stylist's ability so it may seem like the stylist is de-individualizing the idol members. In some cases, the brand exposure at the airport through the airport fashion or other events is already negotiated by certain brands, and the celebrity receives promotional expenses. It is true that there are many barriers and limitations even if we want to highlight the celebrity's individuality."
What do you think of this?