How K-Pop and Fashion Twitter Work Hand-in-Hand
The relationship between K-Pop and the fashion industry dates back to the start of the Hallyu Wave. From the American hip-hop aesthetics from the ‘90s to the latest fashion week looks, the K-Pop industry has made sure to incorporate the latest trends and pieces onto their idols. With social media playing a part in the widespread popularity of K-Pop, Fashion Twitter in particular has continued to show support and has bridged the gap between the two industries.
Fashion Twitter x K-Pop
For those who aren’t familiar with the social media platform, people often find others who enjoy their same niche interests and subcultures, whether it be Film Twitter, K-Pop Twitter, Sports Twitter, and so on. The side of Fashion Twitter consists of lookbooks and moodboards—a place where people get to share their favorite designer’s new and archived pieces, where the latest trends and fashion cycle are talked about, often along with many other discourses.
When it comes to finding major K-Pop fashion moments, most people look through album concept photoshoots and music videos. Now that some health restrictions have been lifted, however, people have set their sights on magazine editorials and red carpet fashion looks. BLACKPINK members in particular are big influencers and are often talked about when it comes to their day-to-day outfits as well as their fashion show looks. From fan accounts to official brand accounts, BLACKPINK is a group whose presence in the fashion world can be felt.
Fashion Twitter’s demographic consists of students and professionals spanning not only the fashion sphere but also fashion business, design, and architecture. Arts students across all boards have been utilizing social media apps to their advantage by using them as their portfolios, discarding the printed sheets of work and websites of combined links to prior work. The people behind some of the Twitter accounts say that when it came to K-Pop, they were already fans of the idols they tweeted about, and that out of all contents produced, magazine editorials are what excited them the most.
Fourth-Gen x Editorials
The history behind magazine editorials dates as far back as the 1700s, making it now a staple and essential part of the fashion world for many people. Although many other mediums like newspapers are going out of print, people still value physical magazines; the spreads are still being digitized and are now readily available, and pages are being scanned and uploaded online.
A reason why editorials are special and sought out by consumers is because of how they allow the creative director’s vision to show in full fruition. With the help of clothing stylists, makeup artists, hair stylists, set designers, and models, as well as the people who coordinate these shoots behind-the-scenes, editorials can be archived for future generations to look back on and see how much creativity was used to help convey one initial vision.
Newer debuted fourth-generation groups have been going along the high fashion editorial routes, featuring in numerous magazines in different styles. Fourth-gen groups such as STAYC and IVE in particular have been circulating on K-Pop Fashion Twitter, with each group’s most recent W Korea photoshoots reaching tens of thousands of retweets and likes.
IVE’s Rei wearing Comme des Garçons SS22 and Prada SS22.
IVE’s Liz wearing Loewe SS22.
STAYC’s Isa in Prada SS22.
STAYC’s Sieun in Loewe SS22.
To check out more within Fashion and K-Pop Twitter, here is a short list of accounts to follow:
Edited by Kelly Sipko