EXO’s Kai Becomes First Korean Artist To Launch A Gucci Collection
K-Pop has already taken the music industry by storm and it looks like the fashion industry is next. EXO’s Kai is the inspiration and face of Gucci’s 100th-anniversary capsule collection, making him the first Korean artist to collaborate with the brand and have a collection under his name.
Kai, who dropped his first solo album late last year, first joined forces with Gucci in 2019 as their global ambassador and now he is the muse behind Gucci creative director Alessandro Michel’s line of men and women’s ready-to-wear and accessories.
Michel was inspired by Kai’s love for teddy bears and believed that since a teddy bear is a beloved childhood toy for many, it would a good feature to add to the collection.
‘Global ambassador’ KAI, the hero of Gucci’s 100th anniversary capsule collection!
The first Korean artist to come out with a Gucci collection under his name!
Alessandro Michele “Inspired by KAI’s favorite teddy bear”#카이 #KAI#엑소 #EXO #weareoneEXO#구찌 #GUCCI — EXO (@weareoneEXO) February 26, 2021
In an interview with Esquire Korea, which Kai adorns their March 2021 cover, he described the venture as thrilling and “not easy.”
“This is the first time Gucci has launched a collection with a Korean celebrity. I am incredibly grateful and just as thrilled,” Kai shared. “It’s not easy to have a collection with your name. It’s a huge opportunity and an act of fortune, so I’m at a loss of words to describe how happy I am that it came to me.”
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The campaign was shot by South Korean photographer Min Hyunwoo and film director Woogie Kim. The video campaign follows the 26-year-old singer around the streets of Seoul where he’s seen enjoying a day out accompanied by his teddy bear friend.
Gucci also worked with Seoul-based artist IM Jibin to create two giant teddy bear balloons that have now been displayed all around Seoul to celebrate the launch of the collection.
The brand will be supporting domestic children impacted by the COVID-19 virus and donating to South Korea’s Green Umbrella Children’s Foundation through this capsule collection.
The #KAIxGucci collection will launch exclusively on April 15 at Gucci ION Orchard.
https://twitter.com/KaiNationUnion_/status/1365174340304666629?s=20
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EXO star Kai joins forces with Gucci on a new collab
Joining the likes of Dapper Dan, The North Face, and Ken Scott, EXO member Kai is the latest star to get his own Gucci collab. Coming together with Alessandro Michele to launch a special collection, the line is inspired by the K-pop singer’s penchant for teddy bears.
While the thought of an adult who still craves the company of stuffed toys would be nothing short of a red flag for many, Gucci manages to make it work – embracing the teddy bear motif as part of its signature brand of kitsch-whimsy. In a nod to Kai’s fan-given pet name, these teddy bears crop up throughout the collection on oversized plaid shirts, bucket hats, intarsia knits, and classic tote bags.
Of course, Kai has been part of the Gucci gang for a while as a global ambassador for the last two years, but this collection marks the first time that the Kering-owned label has collabed with a Korean artist. “I am incredibly grateful. It’s not easy to have a collection with your name. It’s a huge opportunity and an act of fortune, so I’m at a loss of words to describe how happy I am that it came to me,” he told Esquire Korea.
Set to drop on the April 15, The Kai x Gucci collection will feature both men’s and women’s ready-to-wear and accessories. And it will no doubt head straight to resell sites as the singer’s behemoth fan base and hypebeast devotees unite to get their fluffy, cuddly fashion fix.
Exo’s Kai Partners Gucci For an Exclusive Collection Launching in Singapore on April 15
What do you get when you combine K-pop superstar Kai of Exo with… teddy bears?
A special collaboration with Gucci, it seems. Just like the rest of South Korean boyband Exo’s phenomenal fandom, Alessandro Michele saw something in the 26-year-old singer that inspired the creative director to make him the star of a special capsule collection.
Kai was previously part of the spring-summer 2020 Gucci Eyewear campaign alongside Chinese actress NiNi, the Asian ambassador for the Gucci Eyewear line. Kai has also been Gucci’s global ambassador for the past two years, but this collection is extra meaningful as it is named after him.
In a March 2021 interview with Esquire Korea, he said: “This is the first time Gucci has launched a collection with a Korean celebrity. I am incredibly grateful and just as thrilled. It’s not easy to have a collection with your name. It’s a huge opportunity and an act of fortune, so I’m at a loss of words to describe how happy I am that it came to me.”
(Related: The North Face x Gucci: Brandon Leo Celebrates the Spirit of Exploration)