The K-pop star’s new role signals Chanel’s big bet on fandom-driven beauty spending as luxury brands scramble to reignite demand.
- On Thursday, Chanel said in a post on X that the 27-year-old South Korean singer would be a part of its brand going forward.
- In late September, L’Oréal’s Maybelline said that Maybelline multi-platinum recording artist and international music icon Miley Cyrus would be its newest global spokesperson.
- Estee Lauder in October signed award-winning actor, producer and author Nia Long as its first Brand Ambassador exclusive to North America.
Would you buy a perfume that Jungkook wears? Just because he wears it? Well, many Gen Z fans would, and Chanel knows it too well, and is now bringing their favourite band BTS’s member as its new global ambassador for Fragrances and Beauty at the luxury company.
It’s one from the old playbook, the one where companies try to build on the notion that a consumer would feel, look, or smell like the celebrity they have always wanted to meet and fawn over forever.
On Thursday, Chanel said in a post on X that the 27-year-old South Korean singer would be part of its brand going forward, a move aimed at making BTS fans its customers now. Jungkook described the partnership as meaningful, noting how the brand balances timeless heritage with modern reinvention, much like his own artistic approach.
Beauty Brands And Celeb Tie-Ups
To counter falling demand, cosmetics and beauty companies — as well as big apparel makers — have partnered with shopper-favourite celebrities to lure them into buying their products. Just ask American Eagle.
In late September, L’Oréal’s Maybelline announced that Maybelline multi-platinum recording artist and international music icon Miley Cyrus would be its newest global spokesperson, with a bold reimagining of the world-famous “Maybe it’s Maybelline” jingle.
In a boundary-pushing campaign that bridges nostalgia and reinvention, Maybelline and Miley Cyrus join forces to give meaning to beauty and celebrate creative expression. That marks the beginning of a new era in which music and makeup converge, offering fans a fresh way to express themselves and feel empowered.
In mid-2025, Dior named Jenna Ortega, known for her role in the Netflix series Wednesday and dubbed the ‘Gen Z’s Scream Queen’, as its new international makeup ambassador.’
Even Estee Lauder has to up its game, and in October, signed award-winning actor, producer, and author Nia Long as its first Brand Ambassador exclusive to North America.
The MAC lipstick maker said that in this role, Nia will appear in campaigns across digital, TV, and print for the brand’s skincare and makeup franchises.
Chanel is not the only brand that Jungkook is associated with; he has also partnered with Calvin Klein. Calvin Klein, which is part of PVH Corp., launched its latest denim campaign in late October, starring global brand ambassador Jungkook. Jungkook has been building on his solo momentum ahead of BTS’s 2026 return.
Beauty Demand In The US
The demand for cosmetics wavered in the United States, with consumers now holding back spending on luxury products and waiting for deal seasons to shop for beauty items.
One of the fastest-growing segments, however, has been fragrances, which has outdone skincare and beauty products for Estee Lauder and Coty. These companies are heavily investing in marketing to attract customers to both fragrances and other segments.
Rothschild & Co Redburn said that Estee Lauder is early in its transformation and that, despite improving sales growth, it needs deeper investment, which risks the scale of the margin recovery.
In November, Estee Lauder noted that Le Labo had outstanding growth and made fragrance its best-performing category, rising 13% in the quarter. “We continue to expect fragrance to be prestige beauty’s fastest growing category for fiscal 2026, driven by luxury, the largest mix of our fragrance business,” said CEO Stéphane de La Faverie.
What Is Retail Thinking?
Retail sentiment on Estee Lauder improved to ‘neutral’ from ‘bearish’ territory a month ago, with message volumes at ‘normal’ levels, according to data from Stocktwits.
A more than 31% jump was observed in users adding Estee Lauder to their watchlists on Stocktwits. Sentiment on L’Oréal was in the ‘neutral’ territory, up from ‘bearish’ territory three months ago.
Shares of Estee Lauder have gained over 43% this year, and U.S.-listed shares of L’Oréal have gained 23% year-to-date.
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