Move over Meghan Markle. It looks like there’s a new fashion influencer in town. BTS member Jungkook is proving to be one of the fastest movers of designer clothing items off the shelves. Case in point, the Korean singer reportedly helped the British brand Alexander McQueen sell pairs of $690 boots.
Fashion Influencer
How? You may ask. Well, it simply took photos of the 22-year-old singer wearing the new Alexander McQueen ‘Tread Slick’ boots to start a fashion frenzy it seems.
After seeing Jungkook’s latest kicks in June, fans reportedly wanted to get their hands on the same shoes as their idol leading to an increase in demand for the designer in Japan. And no, not even their hefty price tag seemed to deter them from buying the Tread Slick boots.
As Somag News reported, some fans even came to the store with a photo of the K-pop star. It was pretty clear that Jungkook was seen by many as a ‘benchmark for fashion’ with a style to imitate.
Not Just a Performer
What’s even more impressive is that this isn’t really the first time Jungkook set a trend. Over the years, he’s gained quite a reputation for having the ‘golden touch’.
This manifests in the way the items he’s associated with end up being sold out, whether he purposely endorsed them or not. Some other products he has reportedly increased the sales of are a Fila shirt, a toothbrush, and a bottle of wine.
Not only that, but he’s also got fans to buy Downy fabric softener after sharing that it was the one he used for his own laundry.
Called the ARMY, BTS’s fans are known for being dedicated to their idols. The fandom is reportedly primarily composed of young women ages 18-24.
Wildly Influential
Altogether, the boyband also notably earns a lot of money on official endorsements. They’ve been sought-after by global brands and have been the face of such companies like Samsung, Hyundai, and Skechers to name a few.
It is not clear how much money the group makes on advertising gigs but the estimates are high, especially considering that BTS is reportedly worth around $45 million to $ 65 million.
Writer Youngdae Kim observes that the boyband has reached a time in their career where everything they do-- from merchandise to concerts to albums--makes them a lot of money.