It is no secret that fashion and music go hand in hand. Both iconic to culture and the contemporary art world, we see the flashing brands that flood music videos, and the extravagant stage clothes when artists perform live. Besides these curated outfits often picked out by stylists, there are some artists that I follow on Instagram for their amazing personal style aesthetics. Not only are their selection of pieces immaculate, but the way they capture these unique styles is what really puts the cherry on top of it all. That said, here are some artists that I believe have a right to also be considered fashion icons:
- G-Dragon: To those familiar with the early 2000s Kpop scene, you definitely know Big Bang ruled the charts. G-Dragon today, while not producing music as much as he used to, has moved into the fashion industry quite naturally, and is easily one of the biggest fashion moguls today. His success in the music industry seemed to transfer over seamlessly, as he launched his own streetwear brand PEACEMINUSONE, by collaborating with Nike in multiple projects to produce highly coveted shoes. His Instagram profile is characterized by a mix of casual photos edited to look over-saturated with high contrast, bringing out an artificial aura, along with photos from professional shoots, and his paintings. G-Dragon is a multi-talented artist, coming out of his successful music career to show his talents in painting and fashion. Check out his Instagram @xxxibgdrgn.
- Mino: In a similar vein to G-Dragon’s pursuit of art beyond music, rapper of the group WINNER (but also a well respected rapper in general in the K-Hip Hop scene) also dabbles with fashion and art. What draws me into Mino’s style is the nonchalant yet put togetherness of his outfits. Typically in oversized streetwear, Mino stands out with his platinum blonde hair, which he can pull off both long and buzzed, and has even played around with bleached eyebrows to add to his look. Mino is also known for his bright paintings of cartoon-like portraits, which reflect his cool, fun personality. Check out his Instagram @realllllmino.
- Sunmi: Another OG in the early 2000s, Sunmi, former Wonder Girls member and currently a solo artist in South Korea, uses her Instagram to not only promote her releases, but give quite a variety of outfits coming from music videos, performances, as well as her looks when she’s not in front of the camera. Her style is feminine, but bold. Her stage outfits are flamboyant, perfectly in line with her pop/electric sound. She also pays attention to the current trends, posting outfits tributing the comeback of the Y2K trends. Her playful experimentation with hair color also never ceases to amaze me, as she incorporates it quite flawlessly with her outfits. Following her definitely adds a pop of color and inspiration to experiment with my own (quite limited I confess) colorful pieces in my closet. Follow her Instagram @miyayeah.
These three are by no means the only fashionable artists that exist in the Korean music industry. I would argue that as a whole, Korean artists have truly mastered the art of expression through fashion, and take great care in what they wear and how they wear it. With every new performance from idol groups and solo artists alike, I can see the boundaries of fashion being pushed further and further, setting trends that make waves all over the world. These are just some of my favorites when it comes to personal fashion taste, and a starting point for anyone who is interested in peeking into the overlapping worlds between music and fashion.