#WAIT SORRY I FORGOT hyuna and dawn also can both use branding bc they know how to

[sanstropfremir]

Bot sure if i sent this before *but* what do you think about the role fashion plays in kpop currently. I watched a video comapring new groups to older groups in the sense that older groups had more of a cohesive identity when brand deals and High fashion didnt play as big of a role in performances. I tend to agree. Lots of new groups wear the same few fashion pieces in different ways but its become “oh i saw x wearing this too!” Instead of themed outfits that matched with concepts.

i did actually write a post about my opinions on luxury branding a while ago that i can't for the life of me find again, but basically yes to all of that. most current kpop stylists are actually very bad at their jobs from a design point of view. luxury and designer branding is very commonly used shorthand for 'look this is good because it's expensive!' without any thought on 1) the holistic design of the cb itself, and 2) what the connotations of branding has on that cb. the best working stylist in kpop atm is a.c.e's stylist, who works on a budget of like $50 and whatever she can find in the beat int closet, so therefore her creativity is through the fucking ROOF. there's only one group where excessive luxury branding actually works in their favour and with their concept, and that's wayv, the reasons why i've talked about a lot already so i won't go into it again.

to elabourate a little bit more on what i think about it specifically though, i think when we talk about 'fashion' in kpop we're not actually seeing it used to it's fullest extent. i would never go so far to say that no stylists should ever use something from a designer or luxury brand, but none of these stylist are actually using the GOOD work from those designers and brands. the luxury styling that gets used in most kpop is the ready to wear commercial stuff, which just further feeds the capitalist machine and never fully realizes the artistic potential of the more haute couture or even just the more unusual brands. we've had some brushes with it, like when aron showed up in a gmbh shirt for a needle&bubble teaser photo, or like taemin popularizing loverboy, but imo it's not enough. i'll be happy when i start seeing idols in schiaparelli