Korean celebs who are ambassadors of designer brands

Gone were the days when only Hollywood celebrities and supermodels were appointed as brand ambassadors of global fashion houses.

With the rise in Korean inclusivity and the power of the Korean wave, more Korean celebrities have taken up those appointments as ambassadors, either for Korea or the global market.

Here's a list of Korean celebrities who are fronting or have fronted luxury fashion brands, including South Korean superstar Lee Min-ho, Squid Game’s lead actress Jung Ho-yeon, and Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha’s lead actress Shin Min-a.

BLACKPINK'S LISA

The Thai-born K-pop singer/rapper is not only the brand ambassador for Bvlgari and Celine, but she was recently announced as the new ambassador for the leading blended Scotch whisky brand, Chivas.

Spotted in the new I Rise, We Rise campaign, Lisa, 24, is said to be the first female face of the brand in Asia. Said Lisa: “After being on such a huge personal journey and hustling over the past few years, I want to inspire people to elevate themselves. It was a no-brainer to partner with Chivas, as their values are so closely aligned with my own, plus I’ve always been a whisky fan!”

Lee Min-Ho

Lee Min-ho was recently appointed to be the new ambassador luxury fashion house, Fendi. News about his new appointment first surfaced when his agency, MYM Entertainment, made an announcement on its Instagram page, posting photos of the actor in Fendi.

The 34-year-old actor also shared in an official statement with Fendi, “I’m very honoured to be a part of the Fendi family as an ambassador, a Maison that to me is rich in heritage as well as creativity," said the actor, who will soon be seen on Apple TV+ in Pachinko, a drama based on Korean-American author Min Jin Lee's best-selling novel of the same name.

Lee joins fellow South Korean K-drama actress, Song Hye Kyo, who was appointed to be Fendi’s brand ambassador in February 2021.

BLACKPINK's JISOO

Having worked closely with Dior over the past few years, Jisoo, 27, rocked the red carpet at Dior's Paris Fashion Week held at Tuileries garden recently.

According to WWD, the media impact value for an Instagram post of the Korean pop star standing under the giant Dior logo at the brand’s fall 2022 fashion show was worth US$1.74 million in media. The post of a demure Jisoo in a yellow tartan outfit reminiscent of a school uniform, replete with a white shirt and black necktie, received 5.2 million likes on her account.

Jung Ho-yeon

Model-turned-actress Jung Ho-yeon, who catapulted to international fame in K-drama Squid Game, is now one of Louis Vuitton’s global ambassadors.

The French luxury fashion house’s creative director Nicolas Ghesquiere said in an Instagram post: “I immediately fell in love with HoYeon’s great talent and fantastic personality, and I am looking forward to starting this new chapter of the journey we started at Louis Vuitton a few years ago.”

Jung, 27, opened the show for the high-end French fashion house at the capital’s Musée d'Orsay at Paris Fashion Week on March 7.

Kim Woo-bin

Kim Woo-bin, best known for his roles in K-dramas like Heirs (2013) and School (2012), was appointed as the brand ambassador for Jaeger-LeCoultre in June 2021. The 32-year-old South Korean actor and model made a comeback at The Sound Marker exhibition in Seoul after his recovery from nasopharyngeal cancer.

In response to his ambassadorship, the superstar said: “I am very delighted to be a Friend of Jaeger-LeCoultre, with a long history of 188 years and great watchmaking expertise. I look forward to the new journey with Jaeger-LeCoultre.”

Shin Min-A

Gucci named model-actress Shin Min-a, 37, as its newly appointed global ambassador. Shin, Kim's longtime girlfriend, was most recently seen in Netflix’s Hometown Cha-Cha-Cha.

She joins other Gucci ambassadors such as Lee Jung-jae, K-pop boy band Exo’s Kai, South Korean singer-actress IU, and Chinese stars Lu Han and Xiao Zhan.

Blackpink's Jennie

The 26-year-old was first appointed as the brand ambassador for Chanel Beauty in 2018 before she started fronting the fashion house. She fits the brand’s style so much that she is affectionately known as “Human Chanel” among fans.

Recently she has been made the face of Chanel’s Coco Neige campaign, shot by legendary photography duo, Inez and Vinoodh. This campaign marks the latest of Jennie’s ongoing collaboration with the fashion house.

Back in May 2021, Jennie made her debut as the face of Calvin Klein’s campaign for their Spring collection, a collaboration with American artist and known streetwear designer Heron Preston.

BTS

Otherwise known as one of the most renowned and influential groups in the world, BTS is making their mark in the world of fashion with their latest appointment as House ambassadors for Louis Vuitton.

Louis Vuitton’s Men’s Artistic Director, Virgil Abloh said: “I am delighted BTS are joining Louis Vuitton today. I am looking forward to this wonderful partnership which adds a modern chapter to the House, merging luxury and contemporary culture. I can’t wait to share all the very exciting projects we are working on”.

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This article was first published in Her World.