With their hands-on involvement, celebrities are proving their brands can grow beyond fandoms to make a lasting mark
Korean celebrities are expanding their reach into fashion and beauty by launching their own brands.
Though many celebrity-launched brands seem to disappear without much success when the products are perceived as merchandise for fans, some brands are making new waves with unique brand identities.
These brands have the celebrities themselves leading direction, promotion, and communication with consumers. The global popularity of K-pop and other Korean cultural exports also provides a boost when expanding into overseas markets such as Japan.
One such example is Avie muah, a fashion brand founded by Kang Min-kyoung of Davichi.
Established in 2020, Avie muah’s share in the casual female fashion market continues to grow, with stores opening at major local department stores.
The brand got its start selling scrunchies and pottery, and has now expanded to include women’s and men’s clothing, and even clothing for pets.
Sales figures are impressive as well. The brand’s pop-up event held at The Hyundai Seoul in 2023 generated 500 million won ($340,000) in sales in just two weeks, with over 30,000 visitors.
In November 2024, Avie muah also opened a pop-up store at Shibuya Parco in Tokyo with the help of a project by Hyundai Department Store, which introduced Korean fashion brands to the Japanese market through Parco.
“Korean fashion brands are popular because they effectively capture the styles worn by Korean artists, such as K-pop idols. The appeal lies in the fact that these brands combine the unique sensibility of designer labels with more accessible designs, and they offer reasonable prices,” said an official from Hyundai Department Store.
The fashion brand by Wonder Girls’ Yubin, Debby Upper, is also looking to expand beyond Korea and into international markets.
Launched in 2021, Debby Upper gained immediate attention through celebrity endorsements with stars such as Tiffany, Taeyeon, Sunmi and Rose seen wearing the brand. The endorsements sparked a buzz and contributed to rising sales.
“As an artist, I interact with fans on TikTok, and I plan to actively try TikTok marketing to enhance communication. In the future, I want to prepare well for overseas expansion and become a brand that is not only popular in Korea, but also sought after in other places,” said Yubin.
Solo artist Jeon Somi launched her makeup brand Glyf in April 2024 with a highlighter palette.
Jeon has consistently promoted the highlighter ever since, and shows great enthusiasm for her beauty brand. She was deeply involved in every aspect of the brand, from concept development to product creation and design.
“These are cases where celebrities have directly participated in the planning or development of products. Product quality is essential, but to become a long-lasting brand, it’s important to show authenticity by demonstrating how much of their own know-how has been incorporated,” said Lee Eun-hee, a professor at Inha University’s Department of Consumer Science.
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