A fashion designer in China has claimed that Lisa – the Thai rapper and dancer in the K-pop band Blackpink – wore a star-shaped top which “copied” her design in a newly released music video.
Yang Yue, a makeup artist and fashion designer from Beijing, made the accusation on the social media platform Xiaohongshu, China’s Instagram.
The controversy has blown up to such an extent that the subject has trended on Weibo, attracting more than 130 million views.
“Not only did they copy it, the cut is also awful. It’s exhausting. Stylist, please stop embarrassing yourself,” wrote Yang.
In a music video (MV) teaser for her new song, Rockstar, released on June 27, Lisa is wearing a leather, star-shaped design top which is strikingly similar to a creation Yang designed in 2020.
The design, completed while Yang was studying in a master’s programme at the University of the Arts London, was inspired by the Tang Dynasty, China’s first heavy metal band from Beijing.
The star represents Beijing, and the wild design reflects the spirit of rock, Yang said on Xiaohongshu.
To prove the design was hers, she posted draping photos of the design process.
Her star-themed design was red with hand-painted patterns, followed by green leather, black leather and blue-dyed versions.
In Yang’s design the top is connected to a skirt. However, the MV teaser does not reveal if that is the case with the top Lisa is wearing.
However, a later full video shows that the K-pop singer is wearing trousers, not a skirt.
Yang said that her skirt designs have been copied or borrowed through the proper channels by many.
Artists who have borrowed the skirt through formal channels include Ning Yizhuo, known by her stage name Ningning, a Chinese singer from the South Korean girl group Aespa.
“I agree that there are different minds thinking alike, but at the same time I think my design was definitely somehow on someone’s mood board at some point,” wrote Yang on Instagram.
Yang has tried to legally secure the copyright of her designs in recent years but found the process too time, and money, consuming, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Yang said she has been trying to contact Lisa’s stylist but has received no response.
On June 27, Yang received what appeared to be an apologetic email from a PR team which said Lisa wore the outfit simply because the “star shape is her favourite”.
“You can be assured this will not happen again in the future. We sincerely apologise,” the email added.
Yang shared the statement on Xiaohongshu, but online observers quickly pointed out that the author was a fan group of Lisa and not from the singer’s company, Lloud.
Rockstar is Lisa’s first release under Lloud and RCA Records since her departure from YG Entertainment and Interscope Records last year and her first solo release in three years.
There have been mixed feelings about the incident online.
Some fans accused the original designer of targeting Lisa specifically, claiming that Yang only takes action when Lisa wears similar designs but not when others do so.
Others expressed dissatisfaction with Lisa’s new company, believing it to be inferior to her previous one.
The Post tried to contact Lloud but received no response.
