‘It Girl’ is definitely not a new term used to categorize popular female celebrities. For decades, the ‘it’ quality has been used to describe women who possess an array of admirable qualities, and this has typically been used to refer to women who work in a multitude of industries like acting, modelling and music. ‘It Girls’ today are commonly known as women who are adored for their appearances, personality and what they post on social media.
In the last few years, the ‘It’ quality has been specifically related to fashion and the ability to be a trendsetter, connect with many brands, befriend other fashionable celebrities, and attend the most talked about fashion events around the world. As someone who meets all of these qualifications, Jennie Kim has been a major figure in the spotlight in recent years as one of the most talked about ‘It Girls’.
About Jennie:
Jennie Kim is a South Korean rapper, singer, actress and model. In 2016, she debuted as a member of the K-pop girl group, Blackpink, and since then has been known for not only being the face of the group but one of the most well-rounded Korean idols. Fierce and sexy on stage while shy and sweet in interviews and events, Jennie has gained immense favour for herself and the group in the eyes of both domestic and international fans. Even when she released her first single, SOLO, in 2018, her support continued to grow and she accumulated high ratings in charts in countries like Korea, the U.S., Canada, Japan and Malaysia.
Apart from her immense media successes, Jennie’s ‘It Girl’ status is largely due to her fashion career. She is known for being a key ambassador and muse for Chanel and is often seen wearing the brand in Blackpink’s music videos and in her everyday life. After appearing in a teaser for the Chanel Fall/Winter 2021 collection, which trended on numerous social media platforms, Jennie earned the nickname “Human Chanel” by her fans for being one of the most fashionable idols in Korea.
Many have argued that it was not until this year’s Chanel Fashion Week in Paris that Jennie truly cemented her status as a global ‘It Girl’. Despite this fashion event’s attendance including many other K-pop artists, Jennie was the most talked about idol there. Articles on her attendance and what she wore flooded social media, most notably by Vogue titled ‘How Blackpink’s Jennie Stole the Show in Chanel’s Front Row.’ Despite this not being Jennie’s first appearance at a Chanel fashion show, this event seemed to bring her great coverage and kept everyone’s eyes on her in other fashion shows and events. Since then, Jennie has been the face of the fashion house’s “Coco Neige” campaign and she continues to wear and promote Chanel and other brands.
All of these fashion successes have earned her quite a presence on social media. Her Instagram has over 70 million followers and is the most impressive display of her ‘It’ quality. It features her stylish outfits, gorgeous selfies and exciting life as a multitalented celebrity. She often trends on different social media sites, most recently when Clout News Media shared that she was the most mentioned female artist at Coachella 2022 for her visuals, fashion and performances.
the “Jennie” pins
Jennie is extremely popular for her influencer capabilities via social media, as she has been the face behind the popularization of many different fashion trends. For one, Jennie was the spark for the popularization of wearing big hair pins as a fashion statement. After the release of her single in 2018, Jennie’s outfits for her live performances of the song always included large decorative pins in her hair and this caught the attention of fans around the world who began calling the look ‘Jennie pins.’ These pins were so talked about in the media that it caused a trend; Korean stores began selling pins under Jennie’s name and Koreans were seen walking the streets with similar pins in their hair. The ‘Jennie pins’ became so popular that even other K-pop idols began wearing them in their performances and daily lives.
Attention across social media
Another trend she popularized was convertible pants. After wearing a pair at a 2017 showcase before Blackpink’s debut, Jennie Kim caught the attention of many media outlets and fans online. Convertible pants gained favour in Korean markets and became increasingly popular. Skoot Korea, the company that manufactured the pants Jennie wore, even promoted their pants on their official Instagram with photos and highlights of Jennie wearing them, essentially acknowledging Jennie’s impact on their brands image.
The same thing happened when Jennie wore the famous Gucci brooch during the Korean Melon Music Awards in 2019 and caused the hashtag #Jenniebrooch to trend worldwide on Twitter. All the attention for this Gucci brooch not only caused Gucci sales for this item, but even resulted in the creation of knock-offs by many online stores.
These examples are only a few of the times Jennie has gone viral for her clothes, makeup, and other things she was seen using or wearing. With such influence over so many people around the world, it is no surprise that she is widely regarded for truly having the ‘It’ quality. It is not an easy feat to have such a grasp on the masses, especially as a young person within the entertainment sector. Jennie Kim’s influence has not only allowed her to gain the interest and attention of people from all over the world, but she has captured people’s hearts and minds to make them want to follow in her footsteps. Whether it’s through her music, fashion or daily life, there is no denying that Jennie Kim is a real ‘It Girl’ who has both fans and non-fans turning their heads in her direction.