Auspicious Ambassadors: Kim Hongjoong

Some know him as the leader of Korean pop sensation Ateez, others know him as Captain.

At just 24, Kim Hongjoong has many titles under his belt. One of his latest additions is Brand Ambassador for the French luxury fashion house Balmain. On September 5th of this year, Creative Director Olivier Rousteing added the rapper to his “Balmain Army,” which includes fellow singers Cher and Conan Gray, models Jodie Smith and Taylor Hill, and actress Dove Cameron, to name a few.

In Hongjoong’s recent interview with Women’s Wear Daily (WWD), where he wore Look #8 from Balmain’s Fall 2023 Menswear collection over Zoom, he told Deputy Eye Editor Kristen Tauer, “When I met Olivier, we talked a lot about our style and his mindset.” The rapper’s style, both on stage and off, encompasses a dark elegance. He often pairs fashion basics, like black tees, jackets, and trousers with eclectic accessories: silver chains and earcuffs mixed with berets and newsboy caps. Koreaboo calls him the “King of Accessorizing.”

Following the conclusion of Ateez’s 8-month world tour, The Fellowship: Break the Wall, which spanned across Asia, Europe, North America, and South America, Hongjoong stopped by Paris Fashion Week dressed head-to-toe in Balmain. He even sported Balmain’s B-Buzz Dynasty bag in patent leather, with a retail value of $3,350.00 USD, to the Spring 2024 runway show in Paris on September 27.

Shortly after PFW, Hongjoong traveled back to Paris with his members for M Countdown France, a chart-show produced by South Korean TV network Mnet. The event took place on October 15th.