The holiday season brings with it a sparkle that can light up even the darkest corners, and this year, Versace‘s Holiday 2023 campaign introduces that sparkle with a dash of K-pop charisma. Stray Kids’ Hyunjin, now an ambassador for the iconic brand, brings a fresh vibrancy to the luxury fashion house’s latest seasonal ads. This is the first campaign for Hyunjin as the face of Versace.
The campaign, taken by photographer Angelo Pennetta and styled by Jacob K, features the artist adorned in an array of Versace garments, bringing his effervescent personality to the holiday visuals. From Hyunjin standing by a festively decorated tree to sharing a candid moment with a glitter stick, the images resonate with the joy and warmth of the season. He is joined by other talents such as Amelia Gray, Hedi Ben Tekaya and Sacha Quenby.
Donatella Versace, the brand’s Chief Creative Officer, expressed her enthusiasm for the collaboration. “I wanted to celebrate joy with this holiday campaign – the joy of the season and being surrounded by those we love. I am thrilled Hyunjin has become part of our Versace family. I love his energy and the joyful spirit he brings to these images,” she said.
The holiday campaign also features the debut of the Versace Athena tote bag, an epitome of sustainable luxury made from Global Organic Textile Standard-certified cotton. The spotlight is on the beige mini size, which Hyunjin pairs effortlessly with a cotton shirt and chinos, and the Barocco jacquard Odissea sneakers.
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Hyunjin’s feelings about the collaboration reflect the brand’s festive vision. “Versace is exactly how I want the holiday season to be – it’s exciting, looks amazing, feels incredible, and is shared with good friends. That is how I felt making this campaign with my Versace family. Thank you, Donatella, you are the best!” he said.
In addition to the stills, the campaign features videos by Rosie Marks, in which the artist unwraps gifts and playfully uses holiday glitter to highlight the coveted Athena bag.
The featured talent showcases versatile ensembles that transition from daytime elegance to evening sophistication, highlighting pieces such as a wool and lurex blazer embellished with Barocco patterns and a jacquard Barocco cashmere coat, as well as more relaxed options such as cashmere jogging pants and classic trench coats.
Prior to his ambassadorship with Versace, Hyunjin was present at the brand’s “La Vacanza” fashion event and graced the launch of a Versace pop-up store in Seoul last July. As an ambassador, Hyunjin joins the ranks of celebrities such as Chinese star Chris Lee and actress Anne Hathaway, both of whom have been prominent faces for the ”Versace Icons” campaign.
Stray Kids, the band featuring Hyunjin along with members Bang Chan, Lee Know, Changbin, Han, Felix, Seungmin and I.N., was created by JYP Entertainment through a reality show in 2017. Originally a nine-member act, Woojin left in 2019 due to personal reasons.
Despite strong stylistic elements and a clear visual narrative, the campaign risks overly relying on the appeal of its K-pop ambassador. Such a strategy will undoubtedly attract the group’s extensive fanbase to Versace, but may not fully capture the heartfelt essence and imaginative celebration traditionally associated with the holiday season. This reliance on tried-and-true formulas could easily diminish the distinctive flair that defines the Versace brand.
Read more: Versace welcomes Stray Kids’ Hyunjin as its global ambassador
