K-Pop Stars Taking Over Fashion

[Hypebeast] November 08, 2023 Weekly Digest 👫 How K-Pop Stars Became the Fashion Industry’s Biggest Darlings TLDR: The South Korean music genre has blossomed into an unprecedented, international phenomenon, and its fashion takeover is in full effect. Why It Matters: At first, the fashion industry was slow to welcome the South Korean stars into its notoriously exclusive circle (BTS only attended their first fashion show for Louis Vuitton in 2021, despite having debuted in 2013 and earned several No. 1 hits in the years prior), but once their inclusion was proven unprecedentedly valuable, the show invites, collaborations and ambassadorships came flowing in abundance. In the last year alone, Cartier named BTS’ Kim Taehyung (otherwise known as V) its newest global ambassador; Loewe drafted NCT’s Taeyong; Prada enlisted all seven members of ENHYPEN — and that’s just a few of the partnerships that were announced. Read the full article [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🌐 Mowalola's Globalized Glow-Up TLDR: From issue #32 of ‘Hypebeast Magazine’: The artist behind the eponymous fashion brand invites you to enter her world: “There’s no bouncer checking IDs.” Why It Matters: At age 28, the Lagos-born, London-based designer helms one of the world’s most promising young labels. Mowalowa, officially founded in 2017, is known for PVC and leather designs, bold cut-outs, colors that pop, diasporic cultural references, and wide-ranging themed collections. More recently, you might have clocked the brand’s t-shirts and trucker caps with bootleg and Y2K-inspired logos and motifs. Ogunlesi visits Nigeria a few times a year, giving her the freedom and energy to think. “I don’t feel boxed in or forced into a way of thinking that isn’t me while I’m there,” she notes. “There are references to Nigeria in the work. You might not get them if you’re not Nigerian.” That’s OK, says the designer, because the scope is broader—her designs also intend to harness the power of modern-day globalized youth culture. Read the full article [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 🌚 The Air Jordan 5 "Midnight Navy" Stars in This Week's Best Footwear Drops TLDR: Capitalizing on the gift giving time of year, footwear brands including Nike, Jordan Brand, adidas, Reebok, Dr. Martens, Salomon and Crocs have all prepared releases to consider picking up. Why It Matters: Topping this week's releases is the Air Jordan 5 “Midnight Navy” as the Jordan Brand has treated the silhouette to a standout year as it has been outfitted in one fresh look after another. Over on the side of three stripes, various collaborations between adidas and Grace Wales Bonner on the retro football silhouette have served as some of the most popular fashion-oriented sneaker releases to date. Up next, four colorways have been prepared in looks that range from a maroon nylon to a leopard print-covered pony hair. After aiding Salomon Sportstyle in designing its first proper sneaker, Landowski’s label, PHILEO, has its very own collaboration with Salomon. Introducing his two looks on the XT-SP1, the juxtaposition of the purity of nature and harshness of urban life serve as both pairs’ inspiration. Read the full article [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 💈 Luke Fracher on How Luke’s NYC Is the “Barbershop” of High-End Aftermarket Clothing TLDR: The self-proclaimed “lowly merchant” discusses his two-decade history in retail and why what he’s building is more than just a store. Why It Matters: Luke Fracher has always loved clothes. From his first-ever job at Legends, a sneaker/sporting goods store in Virginia, to co-founding of Round Two, clothing, specifically buying as trading is second nature to the NYC-based, self-described “lowly merchant.” But Fracher’s dual affinities for second-hand vintage and high-end clothing led him to expand his vision – opening the doors to Luke’s NYC, his sole-proprietor business described as a “highly curated buy/sell/trade clothier” in December of 2022. Fracher is approaching a year in his space, and, as any Lower East Side business owner does, he’s got plenty of stories to tell. But amongst it all, Fracher just wants to create the “barbershop” of highly curated buy/sell/trade stores – fostering an atmosphere that’s welcoming, intimate and accessible. Read the full article [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- 📻 The Best Rising Artists of Fall 2023 TLDR: As the leaves brown and the temperature drops to a cozy degree, a selection of rising artists have entered the Hypebeast radar. Why It Matters: The Fall 2023 roster of Hypebeast’s bi-annual list features artists crossing the genres of rap, hip-hop, Midwest pop, R&B, neo-soul and pop, highlighting the exciting variety the new generation has to offer. Starting off the list is Bktherula, at just 21 years old, the female rapper is on top of her game. Killing the music scene right now, Bktherula got her start on Soundcloud, earning clout for “LEFT RIGHT” and “Faygo.” Another name to note down is Dijon whose music if can be described as one thing, it’s raw – in production and lyricism. At the end of 2021, Dijon made his acclaimed long-form debut with Absolutely, which sees the artist as his fully realized authentic self, ignoring the limitations of genre and relying only on his captivatingly raw and rugged – yet still silky smooth – sound. Further building the roundup for the half year are artists such as Namasenda, Hardrock and more. Read the full article [here](. --------------------------------------------------------------- [Hypebeast] [Download the Hypebeast App]( On iOS & Android Devices [hypebeast facebook]( instagram]( twitter]( youtube]( --------------------------------------------------------------- [Manage Subscriptions]( Policy]( You are subscribed to Hypebeast’s marketing emails with the address: {EMAIL} Contact [subscription@hypebeast.com](mailto: subscription@hypebeast.com) for assistance on any enquiries. 2023 Hypebeast Limited. All Rights Reserved Hypebeast, 40/F, Cable TV Tower, No.9 Hoi Shing Road, Tsuen Wan, Hong Kong