THE LAST ONE: Dior on Wednesday named Haerin, a member of NewJeans, its latest brand ambassador, underscoring the South Korean girl group’s meteoric ascent.

The 16-year-old was the last member of the band to secure a take care of a luxury brand, confirming recent speculation fueled by her appearance on the digital cover of Vogue Korea’s May issue in Dior fantastic jewelry.

Dior named Haerin a house ambassador for jewelry, fashion and sweetness, marking the most recent tie-up between a K-pop star and a high-end label. 

“That is a possibility to rejoice the privileged ties binding greater than ever the NewJeans singer and Dior. Between elegance and audacity, a singular friendship within the name of creativity,” the corporate said in a press release.

Band members Minji, Hanni, Danielle, Haerin and Hyein landed on Gen Z’s radar last summer with their debut single “Attention,” which has amassed 47 million views on YouTube. NewJeans’ songs “Ditto” and “OMG” have charted on Billboard’s Hot 100.

The group has 7.3 million followers on Instagram and one other 6.7 million on TikTok. In March, NewJeans, known for his or her girl-next-door aesthetic, struck a partnership with Levi’s and appeared in a photograph shoot for the U.S. edition of Vogue.

Minji has a contract with Chanel; Hanni is an envoy for Gucci and Armani Beauty; Danielle works with Burberry and YSL Beauty, and Hyein is a Louis Vuitton brand ambassador.

Dior is not any stranger to the facility of K-pop stars. Jisoo, a member of Blackpink, has driven crowds wild since signing on with the home as a worldwide ambassador for fashion and sweetness in March 2021. 

On the lads’s side, brand ambassadors include Jimin, a member of boy band BTS, Exo’s Sehun and Astro member Cha Eunwoo. — JOELLE DIDERICH

CANDICE’S CAUSE: Recognizing Earth Month, Anne Klein has forged a partnership with Candice Swanepoel, current brand ambassador, model and founder/chief executive officer of lifestyle brand Tropic of C, and the Harlem-bas ed social enterprise Custom Collaborative. Together they’ll aim to support, encourage and interact a cohort of 16 women, ranging in age from 25 to 56, from no- to low-income and immigrant communities as they pursue careers within the sustainable fashion industry.

Starting this month, Anne Klein will donate product for the scholars to work with as they learn to stitch, design and sell sustainable fashion. Custom Collaborative will provide the ladies with a 15-week curriculum that features learning to rethink, recycle and reuse fabrics and accessories as they create their custom designs resulting in a July fashion show, sponsored by Anne Klein, featuring the designs produced by the graduates.

“This partnership aligns two essential initiatives for Anne Klein: to uplift and rejoice women who’re positively changing the world through a balance of image and impact,” said Jameel Spencer, chief marketing officer in residence at Anne Klein. “And supports our commitment to and efforts toward a greener, more sustainable future.”

Next month, Anne Klein will host a Lunch & Learn event for the scholars where they will meet with and be inspired by a panel of skilled women currently working inside the fashion industry on sustainable, eco-friendly and eco-centric collections. Along with Swanepoel, those on the panel include Chani Labowitz, senior vice chairman of creative for eGluck, a watch manufacturer (which makes Anne Klein Consider It Watch collection, which is constructed from repurposed oceans plastics); Victoria Yee Howe, a designer, and Ngozi Okaro, executive director and founding father of the Custom Collaborative, which offers training and ongoing support in the style business. — LISA LOCKWOOD