Korean stars take center stage at Milan Fashion Week
It’s Milan Fall/Winter Fashion Week, and we have front-row seats courtesy of our devices, tuning in to all the excitement—from live airport departures in Incheon to the runways of Italy—because our favorite K-pop and K-drama stars are attending.
They are a gold mine of interactions as fans flock to the venues, flood social media with comments, and give even the press covering them equal love.
BTS’ Jin is Gucci’s global brand ambassador, and his presence at their fashion show was expected. He arrived in a leather jacket in a color that he liked, as he stated in his Get Ready video. Noticeably absent was NewJeans’ Hanni, who is also a brand ambassador.
Hyunjin attended Versace’s show in a flamboyant long purple coat with a patterned lining that matched his shirt. He shocked and delighted fans when his blonde buzz cut (also lovingly referred to as his kiwi era) was painted with the Versace logo.
If he went all out at the event, it was because the brand’s chief creative officer, Donatella Versace, had divested any pretense of impartiality and fully embraced the Stray Kids main dancer as her favorite. Hyunjin was whisked off from the airport to the Versace boutique. He waved from its balcony with Donatella by his side. She gave him the title “Versace Prince” last year and referred to him as such every chance she got.
Ambassadors
Bang Chan debuted in Milan this year as an ambassador for Fendi. The Stray Kids leader is the newest addition to the brand’s growing list of Korean ambassadors. He wore an off-the-shoulder knit sweater over a camel tank top. Bang Chan was seated next to K-drama queen Song Hye-kyo, who looked absolutely stunning in her pixie bob haircut, brown dress, and oversized long coat.
Twice’s Mina looked equally divine with her long hair and long-sleeved mini dress adorned with floral gem embellishments. (G)I-dle’s Yuqi looked like a doll with a rebellious streak in her short dress with floral details and a long coat, while rocking brown combat boots. She performed at the brand’s afterparty.
If Italy is experiencing a Korean culture (and fashion) invasion, trust that some of the stars flying there are also experiencing culture shock. Seventeen’s Hoshi went viral when he couldn’t hide his surprise at Diesel’s show. Models started coming out in ultra-low-cut denim, showcasing their butt cracks on the runway. His eyes grew bigger, he held his chin (perhaps to keep his jaw from dropping), and ran his thumb over his lips before smiling.
The Diesel ambassador kept it real in his pictorials by showing off his trademark Tiger pose for the cameras, wearing his denim ensemble, daring to show only his clavicle for the event.
Byeon Woo-seok also made his debut in Milan as Prada’s ambassador. His appearance is a story of redemption. Prada had once rejected him from walking the runway as their model, but now, he was in the city as the face of the brand. Aespa’s Karina also graced the event as the brand’s ambassador.
Ateez’s Choi San brought old-world elegance in his suit, complete with a slicked-back hairstyle and eyeglasses for Dolce & Gabbana. While there are no official announcements yet regarding his ambassadorship, the way designer and founder Stefano Gabbana is interacting with his posts online makes us think it’s just a matter of time.
