Aespa’s Karina powers Gentlemonster x Bratz buzz

Brand collaboration-wise, summer 2025 has started off strong, seeing a plethora of co-branded releases drive major social engagement. Following Aries x KFC and Kylie Jenner’s clothing brand Khy teaming up with independent London-based designer Dilara Findikoglu, Gentle Monster’s latest launch is now dominating global social media. Whether it’s Human Made and Minor Figures’ Tokyo-meets-East-London drop, that Gentle Monster move maintaining Y2K nostalgia with Bratz, or Envision’s subversive anti-wholesale strategy with Forbidden Kn0wledge to carefully extend its presence, brands have rolled out an eclectic mix of collaborations in Asia that signal the region’s growing influence in global fashion. We unpack these standout collabs’ execution and social traction, from oat milk cartons doubling as hypebeast collectibles and sunglasses playfully tapping pop culture, to an independent designer wholesale-driven partnership. Human Made x Minor Figures Details: 10-piece merchandise collection, May 31 Social context: Minor Figures’ Instagram post has 691 likes at the time of writing. Human Made’s most-liked post (relating to the dedicated Tokyo pop-up store) has over 20,190 likes. Verdict: A case study in how cult design and sustainable F&B brands can co-create lifestyle resonance across markets, especially with Asia’s tastemaker crowd. Comprising Human Made founder Nigo’s symbolism and Minor Figures’ design-forward oat milk, this release transcends categories, positioning both brands as cultural exporters. This 10-piece drop, including a chrome-plated 27cm art toy and NFC-enabled mixtapes tucked into milk sleeves, turns everyday café culture into collectible, experience-rich design. The collab’s organic genesis, wonderfully sparked by a Minor Figures carton spotted in Nigo’s fridge by a friend, underscores the authenticity behind the partnership. Simultaneous launches in Tokyo and London, and placement in fashion-forward cafés in both cities, highlight a well-mapped strategy to engage into premium, global urban enclaves. Envision x Forbidden Kn0wledge Details: Capsule, May 20 Social context: On Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote), #ForbiddenKn0wledge has 161 views, and 144,000 followers on Instagram. Verdict: Envision’s rejection of traditional wholesale in favor of an ultra-curated selection of high-value SKUs signals a strategic pivot toward exclusivity and sustainability. By limiting retail partnerships regionally, the brand positions scarcity as a virtue, while also supporting often-over-stretched emerging designers. Produced in top-tier Chinese factories with campaigns directed by talents linked to major fashion houses, the collection reasserts the value of global craftsmanship outside of Europe. With Forbidden Kn0wledge at the helm and art direction from rising names like Zhenzhen and Victoria Rebelo, the campaign speaks to a Gen Z market hungry for a subcultural edge. Gentle Monster x Bratz Details: Pocket collection and limited-edition dolls, May 30 Social context: On Xiaohongshu, #gentlemonster has 278.2 million views, and #bratz has 7.5 million. Verdict: By channeling the Bratz doll’s iconic early-2000s aesthetic into Gentle Monster’s forward-thinking eyewear, the Pocket Collection aligns with the luxury market’s ongoing obsession with noughties nostalgia — it’s also accompanied by the Haus Nowhere signature of huge viral sculptures, creating excitement among shoppers. The multi-city pop-up rollout, across Seoul, Shanghai, Los Angeles, and Bangkok, transforms retail into immersive spectacle. Featuring surreal Bratz-scale installations and curated lifestyle elements from the likes of Maru Coffee and Nudake, Gentle Monster continues to lead experiential retail innovation. With major K-pop star Aespa’s Karina anchoring the campaign, the collab blurs the boundary between human and digital iconography.

Aespa’s Karina powers Gentlemonster x Bratz buzz

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Published June 03, 2025

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Aespa’s Karina powers Gentlemonster x Bratz buzz