Why Stray Kids’ Bang Chan released a song with Fendi

Details: Fendi and Stray Kids’ Bang Chan dropped their collaborative single Roman Empire on November 3, with every look from the music video available for immediate purchase through direct links on Fendi’s website. After premiering on November 3, Roman Empire lit up Seoul’s K-pop Square at COEX — a massive LED screen landmark in Seoul’s Gangnam district — with multiple screenings between 6pm and 8pm. Bang Chan followed with an exclusive live performance at Fendi’s Seoul boutique on November 4. Social context: Fendi’s Instagram announcement has attracted over 460,000 likes at the time of writing, while #BangChan has 48.3 million views on Xiaohongshu (also known as RedNote). The Australian singer posted about the project to his more than 11 million followers on Instagram. Verdict: Fendi bet big on fandom, and it’s already reaped a huge return. The music video trended on TikTok on release day and had surpassed 780,000 views at the time of writing, with some pieces worn by Bang Chan selling out. The Stray Kids leader joined Fendi as a global ambassador in January 2025, though his relationship with the brand began months earlier. His first appearance at the maison’s Milan Men’s Spring/Summer 2025 show in June 2024 signaled the start of a deeper creative partnership that has since evolved. Bang Chan wrote, composed, and produced the track himself. Filmed at Fendi’s Rome headquarters, the Palazzo della Civiltà Italiana, the music video mirrors the label’s Roman grandeur. The lyrics reference Fendi icons like the Peekaboo bag and “FF” logo, set to smooth R&B and Miami bass beats. Fans on social platforms enthusiastically embraced the collaboration, with little apparent concern about the commercial nature of the project. While the track hasn’t yet been released on streaming platforms, perhaps to amp up engagement on Fendi’s YouTube channel, the move marks a rising intimacy between the LVMH house and K-pop fandom. LVMH tightens ties to South Korea The K-pop luxury collaboration aligns with parent company LVMH’s broader strategy to strengthen its foothold in South Korea, a market that continues to outperform despite global headwinds. The conglomerate recently highlighted “good resilience” and a return to positive growth in Q3 2025, crediting steady demand in Asia. For LVMH, this release is a smart way of deepening ties to Asian culture and Gen Z. South Korea has become both a growth engine and a creative incubator for luxury. According to a January 2023 Morgan Stanley report, South Korea leads in per capita spending on personal luxury goods at $325 annually, with the MZ generation (millennials and Gen Z) driving significant growth in the market. That buying power is amplified by social media virality. Direct commerce meets K-pop By enabling fans to “shop the look,” Fendi is acknowledging the influential soft power of K-pop stars, and music videos. As a one-off, buzzy activation, the strategy works, but releasing more music with Bang Chan could dilute his artistry and cause friction among fans. If fashion houses release music more often, questions about artistic authenticity would likely arise. Regardless, Roman Empire serves as an insightful case study in K-pop’s influence on luxury fashion and popular culture.

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Why Stray Kids’ Bang Chan released a song with Fendi