Global Fashion Scandal: ELLE UK Faces Racism Allegations After Excluding BLACKPINK Rosé

 


Paris – October 2, 2025

What was meant to be a glamorous showcase of Saint Laurent’s latest collection in Paris has spiraled into a global controversy, as ELLE UK faces mounting accusations of racism following the exclusion of Rosé, BLACKPINK global star and official ambassador of the fashion house, from its coverage.



The Beginning of the Backlash

On September 30, 2025, Rosé attended the Saint Laurent show in Paris, seated in the front row alongside model Hailey Bieber, actress Zoë Kravitz, and British singer Charli XCX. Despite her position as the most internationally recognized figure among the group, observers noted that cameras and photographers consistently focused on the other guests, with Rosé noticeably overlooked.


Disparity in Fame

Fans quickly highlighted the stark difference in global influence between Rosé and the other attendees:

Charli XCX had limited mainstream recognition until her recent collaboration with Billie Eilish propelled her to wider fame.

Hailey Bieber is often viewed as having gained prominence largely due to her marriage to pop superstar Justin Bieber, rather than through her modeling career alone.

Zoë Kravitz, though respected as an actress, is widely considered a second-tier name in Hollywood, far from the global household status Rosé enjoys.

This contrast made the decision to sideline Rosé all the more baffling and, in the eyes of many, indefensible.



ELLE UK’s Controversial Move

The controversy deepened the following day when ELLE UK published a group photo from the show that featured Hailey, Zoë, and Charli—but Rosé, who was in the original frame, had been deliberately cropped out. The magazine also failed to post any solo shots of Rosé, despite her position as one of the house’s most prominent ambassadors.


Adding Fuel to the Fire

The situation escalated further when Charli XCX posted an image to her Instagram account in which Rosé appeared obscured in the background, her figure lost in shadow while the spotlight shone on the others. Hours later, Hailey Bieber reposted the exact same picture to her Instagram Story—an act that fans interpreted as a deliberate participation in the erasure of Rosé.


A Belated Response

Under immense public pressure, ELLE UK eventually shared a solo image of Rosé on October 2 with the caption:

> “The most standout look came courtesy of Blackpink star Rosé.”

However, the post did not include an apology, and fans were quick to condemn it as “too little, too late” and a superficial attempt to cover up what they saw as blatant racism.


Global Fan Outrage

Millions of BLACKPINK fans, known as BLINKs, flooded social media platforms, calling out the magazine for intentional disrespect and demanding accountability. Critics argued that sidelining Rosé—arguably the most famous and influential star in the room—in favor of far less prominent Western celebrities, was not an oversight but a reflection of systemic bias.


Among the recurring reactions:

“How do you erase the most famous ambassador of the brand?”

“This isn’t a mistake—it’s a calculated insult.”

“They cropped Rosé because she would’ve stolen the spotlight from everyone else.”

Calls have also intensified for both Hailey Bieber and Charli XCX to address their involvement in posting images that seemingly diminished Rosé’s presence.


Rosé Silent Strength

In contrast, Rosé handled the controversy with poise. Rather than addressing the matter directly, she shared her own photos from the event and thanked Saint Laurent’s creative director Anthony Vaccarello for the invitation, leaving her global fanbase to take the fight online.



More Than Fashion

What began as a Parisian runway show has now evolved into a broader conversation about Western prejudice against Asian artists and the ongoing struggle for equal recognition of K-pop idols within global cultural spaces.


For many, this incident is not just about one magazine—it is a stark reminder of how bias in the fashion and entertainment industries can marginalize even the most successful Asian stars on the world stage.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Taehyung and Wonyoung Dating Rumors Spark Heated Debate in K-Pop

Image
In late September 2025, social media platforms across China, Korea, and the global K-pop fandom were set abuzz with fresh dating rumors involving Kim Taehyung (V) of BTS and Jang Wonyoung of IVE. The controversy began after a so-called “list of evidence” compiled by a user on the Chinese platform Douban went viral, drawing intense reactions and dividing fans into believers and skeptics. How the rumors began The speculation first surfaced when a Douban user published a lengthy post collecting dozens of alleged “clues” that pointed toward a secret romantic relationship between the two idols. The post quickly spread beyond Chinese platforms, making its way into Korean media outlets and international fan spaces. Unlike casual gossip, this list presented multiple examples that seemed to show suspicious overlaps between Taehyung’s and Wonyoung’s activities, sparking debate over whether these were coincidences or hidden signals. The alleged evidence One of the most widely discussed claims cam...
Read more

The Korean Hunger Games: When a Cancer Charity Turned into a Celebrity Spectacle

Image
 On the night of October 15, 2025, W Korea magazine held its annual “Love Your W” breast cancer awareness event at the Four Seasons Hotel in Seoul. What was meant to be a humanitarian occasion, however, turned into what many described as a glamorous party lacking any sense of awareness or respect for the sensitivity of the cause. From the very start, the red carpet looks drew more attention than the message of the campaign — particularly that of aespa’s Karina, whose outfit became the center of controversy. She wore a revealing black dress that was widely deemed inappropriate for a cancer awareness event, looking more like someone attending a nightclub than a charity campaign supporting women with breast cancer.  The criticism intensified after cameras captured her filming a TikTok dance challenge  , and laughing and dancing in a way many found  disrespectful to the campaign’s purpose withBTS member V (Taehyung) during the event. Taehyung himself faced similar backla...
Read more

BTS’s Jin and Baek Jong-won’s Company Under Investigation for Alleged Origin Labeling Violation

Image
 Seoul – September 23, 2025 JINI’s LAMP, the company co-founded by Jin of global K-pop group BTS and renowned restaurateur Baek Jong-won, has been reported to the National Agricultural Products Quality Management Service (NAQS) over allegations of misleading origin labeling on some of its products. Complaint Filed According to a report by TenAsia on September 23, an individual identified as “Mr. A” filed an official petition on September 22 through the government’s online petition system. The complaint accused JINI’s LAMP of mislabeling the origin of ingredients used in its IGIN Highball beverages, specifically the watermelon and plum flavors. The petitioner claimed that while the products contained imported ingredients—such as plum concentrate from Chile and watermelon concentrate from the United States—some product descriptions on the company’s official website incorrectly suggested that the ingredients were sourced domestically, potentially misleading consumers into believing th...
Read more