Inside Jennie’s Calvin Klein Collection Launch in Seoul
The fans had already been lining the sidewalk for hours when Jennie Kim stepped out of her car. On an otherwise calm street in Seoul’s Seongsu-dong district, the Blackpink singer, rapper, and all-around style icon celebrated the launch of her new capsule collection with Calvin Klein. She was aptly dressed in a monochrome lilac look, featuring a knit mini dress from her collection, matching platform heels, and tiny bows adorning a single braid in her hair. She looked doll-like and chic as she posed for photographers and onlooking fans before disappearing into the Scene Seoul venue.
Inside, pieces from the capsule were displayed for guests to touch and feel while mingling over champagne and hors d’oeuvres. Inspired by Jennie’s casual wardrobe, the collection includes denim sets in chalk blue and desert beige; sweatsuits in lilac and classic gray; a denim mini skirt and bralette; ribbed tank tops and logo tees; bodysuits and classic underwear. When asked what her favorite piece was, Jennie referenced her outfit for the night. “It’s the one I’m wearing right now, the lilac knit dress,” she told ELLE.com with a smile.
The crowd was drawn to Jennie like a magnet as she joined Simi and Haze Khadra at the DJ booth and beelined to the VIP area. Other celebs in attendance included Jungkook of BTS—an ambassador for Calvin Klein Jeans and Calvin Klein Underwear himself—who stopped by dressed in all-black and a half-ponytail. Le Sserafim’s Kazuha, SF9’s Rowoon, Deb Never, and actress Ye-Eun Shin also made appearances.
Jennie’s imprint was on more than just the clothes. The logo for her collection, which she wrote with her own handwriting, was hung on the walls in the two-story venue, along with larger-than-life images from the campaign shot by Hong Jang Hyun. And as for music, Jennie teased a yet-unreleased collaboration with The Weeknd, her co-star on The Idol, playing a snippet of the moody track at the turntables.
These past few weeks have been big for Jennie, who attended her first Met Gala (in Chanel, no less) last week and performed back-to-back Coachella weekends with Blackpink last month. With her collection, she only furthers that momentum.
“Collaborating with Calvin Klein on this capsule has been an exciting progression in our partnership,” she said in a press release when the capsule was announced on May 4. “This collection reflects my everyday style and is based on many of the Calvin Klein essentials that have become staples in my wardrobe. I wanted to bring a personal touch to these pieces, which you’ll see reflected in the fit, the color palette, and the details. My aspiration for this collection is that everyone will feel as happy and confident in these pieces as I do.”
Jennie has more milestones to look forward to this summer with her acting debut in HBO’s The Idol and a Blackpink encore tour. But before then, her limited-edition capsule is available to shop in select Calvin Klein stores and online starting today.
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.