User:Anahat23/sandbox

With the Korean Wave sweeping over many countries and continents such as East Asia, Middle East and North Africa, Oceania countries, Europe, United States, and etc. It didn't hesitate to take over the fashion world as well. Fashion plays an integral role in Korean Popular Music, also known as K-pop. This can be shown through the styling of an artist or a group's music video, artists who are partnering up with major fashion houses by showcasing their work, individual idols creating their own fashion brands, or their hyped street style which created some iconic look for fans to be inspired by.

Many K-pop fans closely follow the artist or the group's activities, and fashion plays a huge role in the trends set by their favorite artists. Due to the significant influence which popular K-pop artists and groups have, they become trendsetters for their fans. In turn, those fans replicate their style to fit their lifestyle. The influence of popular groups is quite significant because the girl group, 2NE1, introduced high-end fashion labels such as Givenchy and Balmain to the Korean audience. according to Harper's Bazaar, "Korean style is a mix of streetwear and luxury." They further highlight that the trend is combing European brands and streetwear brands together.

From the popular girl group, Blackpink, Lisa and Rose featured on the September issue of Dazed Korea. Their ensemble was created from the pieces from Mulberry's 2018 Fall/Winter collection. In addition, they sat front row at the Mulberry Show in Seoul of this year. The creative director of the major British fashion house, Johnny Coca's objective was not only to make Mulberry a prominent brand in the UK, but also to garner international recognition. In an article by Vogue, Coca states that "Korea was the second (biggest) country in terms of revenue so it was important to be part of that expansion and to communicate more about the brand and its heritage to the Korean customer." Targeting Korea not only expands the brand's reach, but also gains high exposure due to the fashion forward audience, especially when members from a popular girl group our seated at the front row of the show.

Another famous British fashion house, Burberry, was featured by two members of the K-pop group Winner, Mino and Hoony. They were dressed in the Burberry Spring/Summer 2018 collection for the brand's show and they were seated front and center of the audience. Furthermore, they received an early access to the Spring 2018 collection as soon as they landed in England. According to an article in Vogue, "The two wore full looks while enjoying their time around London, sharing multiple images of themselves in pieces that are sure to be among the seasons most coveted. While sharing snapshots of tartan tote bags and classic trenches, the pair also managed to squeeze in a little sightseeing..." This creates a mutually beneficial relationship between the brand and the artists. The artists promote the brand's clothing by sharing their fashion insight with their fans. By participating in fashion shows, the artists are able to expose their K-pop background to those who are unfamiliar.