Opinion / Blackpink’s ‘Human Chanel’ Jennie vs Exo’s ‘Human Gucci’ Kai – what K-pop idols really mean to luxury brands in the battle for Gen Z’s heart

May 13 , 2021

Kai in Gucci vs Jennie in Chanel: the battle for Gen Z is on. Photo: @zkdlin, @jennierubyjane/Instagram

BTS’ V and Blackpink’s Jennie were both once nicknamed ‘Human Gucci’ – but are now known as ‘Human Chanel’ after sudden wardrobe changes that could sow fortunes

Gucci recently sent Kai a coffee truck addressed to its new ‘Human Gucci’ – acknowledging the idol as a living version of what the brand hopes to represent

This article is part of Style’s Luxury Column

When Exo’s Kai, one of the most successful K-pop stars of all time, recently debuted his eponymous solo EP, Gucci sent him and his team a coffee cart. The Italian fashion brand wanted to make sure that their most visible brand ambassador’s caffeinated well-being was guaranteed. The cart had two banners, one stating, “Congratulations to human Gucci, Kai, on his first solo album! Eat it deliciously while savouring it (Mmmh-mi).” The second simply said: “Gucci wholly supports Gucci Kai.”

Gucci sent a coffee car to Kai, and the message it projected was very clear. Photo: @LO3YLOVELY/Twitter

When a forward-thinking brand like Gucci refers to an ambassador as its one and only human reincarnation – aka the “Human Gucci” – it’s more than just a sign of commitment. It confirms to the world that Kai has become the living version of what the brand represents, its alter ego.

As part of Gucci’s 2020 cruise collection, the brand produced a video with Kai, showing the K-pop superstar on a journey of self discovery, finding and expressing himself in different situations. Then in April 2021, Gucci launched Kai’s first collection. It’s another retro take, typical for the brand, in which Kai’s childhood companion, a teddy bear, is featured, symbolising the lightness of childhood and human connection.

Kai’s capsule collaboration with Gucci sets an influential precedent in the fashion world. Photo: Gucci

The collection has taken the world by storm. Kai showed a superior fashion acumen, his captivating style creating hype reaching from Seoul to Shanghai, Tokyo to Los Angeles and New York to Paris.

South Korean performer Kai, a member of boy-group Exo, was chosen to be a Gucci eyewear ambassador. Photo: Gucci

The hashtag #humangucci is currently trending across all social media platforms due to the unprecedented hype around Kai. However, the expression has been used before to describe other celebrity fans of the brand who dressed head to toe in Gucci. Notably, before Kai was the Human Gucci, his fellow K-pop superstars V from BTS and Blackpink’s Jennie were both undisputed Human Guccis, both often spotted in all-Gucci looks, and even called the King and Queen of Gucci.