Luhan’s latest project is neither a caffeinated pop tune, nor a sci-fi disaster.
The star rose to fame as part of legendary k-pop group EXO, before leaving in 2014 to pursue a solo career. Since then, Luhan has been surpassed in popularity by the next generation of younger talents — but his most recent move demonstrates an interest in expanding his career beyond just entertainment.
In the most recent March issue of i-D, a UK magazine under Vice Media, Luhan revealed himself to be one of the founding members of Un Garçon Charmant (UGC), a streetwear brand launched in 2017.
UGC’s collection consists of various graphic tees, velvet sweats and oversized hoodies. The brand held a showroom during Paris Fashion Week, and a popup event in Tokyo, but has yet to gain much traction.
Luhan explained that he wanted the brand to achieve organic growth in its embryonic years, and so initially chose to keep his role in the company a secret. While Luhan has nearly 63 million followers on Weibo, the UGC brand account still stagnates at around 45,000 followers. On social media, some users praised the decision.
“The fact that he didn’t come forward and use his popularity shows that he’s interested in actually developing the brand, rather than just making a quick buck,” reads a top comment on Douban.
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Luhan is not the first Chinese celebrity to break into the streetwear scene in recent years. Artists such as Jackson Wang and William Chan have both launched their own streetwear labels, though they have been more publicly involved in promoting the collections. It remains to be seen if, having revealed his role, Luhan will choose to pursue the same path.
