American It girls have long loved Danielle Guizio.
The New York-based designer got her start a decade ago sending graphic T-shirts to tastemakers like Kylie Jenner, Hailey Bieber and the Hadid sisters. Since then, she’s expanded her assortment of youthful and social media-friendly apparel, such as mini skirts, sweater sets, corsets and micro dresses that have won her high-profile fans like Zoë Kravitz, Sabrina Carpenter and Olivia Rodrigo as well as on Zendaya and Sydney Sweeney’s “Euphoria” characters.
So it only makes sense that ahead of their first North American tour, K-Pop group Le Sserafim is partnering with Guizio on on 11-piece capsule collection, a mix of bedazzled and graphic band tees, cardigans, pants and socks, ranging from $28 to $198.
As Guizio describes it, the collection, her first for a musical group, is “such cute, sugar, princess, pop vibes.”
Le Sserafim, a quintet made up of singers Sakura, Kim Chaewon, Huh Yunjin, Kazuha and Hong Eunchae, will wear the collection in Newark, New Jersey on Sept. 3 at the first stop on its North American tour. The same day, Guizio will also host an activation in-store, including handing out themed soft-serve ice cream.
Fashion’s biggest names, including Dior, Chanel, Gucci and Calvin Klein, are increasingly inking partnerships with K-Pop stars. Le Sserafim’s members in particular have served as ambassadors for Louis Vuitton (releasing a South Korea-exclusive handbag capsule), Swarovski and Lululemon. The power of their global influence and rabid fanbases is practically unparalleled: Calvin Klein’s 2024 campaign starring BTS star Jungkook, for instance, even outperformed its viral Jeremy Allen White shoot, generating $13.4 million in media impact value compared to the actor’s $12.7 million in the 48 hours that followed each campaign’s launch, according to Launchmetrics.
“It’s a totally different calibre. Nothing compares to the energy that they exude,” Guizio said.
In that sense, this partnership is a major get for Guizio, still a small label by comparison, despite its celebrity clientele.
But it was the group that approached Guizio about the collaboration in hopes of helping grow its US presence. It’s a boon for Guizio, too, who is looking to do the same in Korea, where sales have grown 60 percent year-over-year thanks to another K-Pop group, Blackpink, becoming fans of the brand. This month, Lisa, one of the group’s frontwomen, wore a dress by Guizio in her music video “Dream.”
“[K-Pop] fans are more drawn to their fashion than even what US musicians [see with their fans],” said Guizio. “They want to feel closer to the artists.”
Guizio has seen firsthand the impact music and fandoms can have on a brand: the designer’s sparkly paillette skirt — and its dupes — was a major trend for people dressing up for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. Earlier this year, she created a pair of custom Union Jack shorts for Rodrigo to wear at Glastonbury.
“We’re so synonymous, Guizio can’t exist without pop culture,” said Guizio, adding, “If I really love something, I want to be part of it.”
The collaboration comes as the brand is in the midst of a growth spurt. In 2022, Guizio received investment from Burch Creative Capital, Chris Burch’s investment firm, which has also backed Staud and Solid & Striped. Sales are up 240 percent so far this year, she said.
To keep growth going, she’s trying to find more ways to bring the brand to life, both through product and in person. This fall will see Guizio drop its second collaboration with Puma, and before the end of 2025, it will expand its product mix to include shoes, handbags and fragrance. Last September, the brand opened its first store in New York’s SoHo neighbourhood; more locations are planned in Miami and Los Angeles in 2026. It’ll also head on the road this fall with a college town pop-up tour.
“I want people to feel closer to the brand, that’s the whole point,” she said.
