A fashion designer from China has accused Lisa, the Thai rapper and dancer from the K-pop group Blackpink, of wearing a star-shaped top in her latest music video that closely resembles her own design. The claim, made by Yang Yue, a makeup artist and fashion designer based in Beijing, has stirred significant controversy and trended on Weibo, garnering over 130 million views.
Yang expressed her frustration on Xiaohongshu, China’s Instagram equivalent, stating, “Not only did they copy it, the cut is also awful. It’s exhausting. Stylist, please stop embarrassing yourself.”
In the teaser for Lisa’s new song “Rockstar,” released on June 27, the K-pop star is seen wearing a leather, star-shaped top that bears a striking resemblance to a design Yang created in 2020. Yang developed her star-themed design while studying for her master’s degree at the University of the Arts London, drawing inspiration from Tang Dynasty, China’s first heavy metal band. According to Yang, the star symbolized Beijing, and the bold design embodied the spirit of rock. To substantiate her claim, she shared photos documenting the design process.
Yang’s original design featured a red top with hand-painted patterns, followed by variations in green leather, black leather, and blue dye. Unlike Lisa’s outfit, Yang’s design was a top connected to a skirt. The teaser did not clarify if Lisa’s top had a similar connection, but the full video later showed her wearing trousers instead.
Yang mentioned that her skirt designs have previously been copied or borrowed through proper channels by various artists, including Ning Yizhuo, known as Ningning, a member of the South Korean girl group Aespa. She acknowledged that different designers might have similar ideas but felt certain that her design had been on someone’s mood board.
Despite her efforts, Yang has struggled to secure the copyright for her designs due to the time and cost involved, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic. She has tried contacting Lisa’s stylist without success. On June 27, Yang received an apologetic email from a fan group claiming Lisa wore the outfit because the star shape was her favorite. However, this email was not from Lisa’s company, Lloud.
Lisa’s new release, “Rockstar,” marks her first under Lloud and RCA Records since leaving YG Entertainment and Interscope Records last year. The incident has sparked mixed reactions online. Some fans accused Yang of targeting Lisa specifically, while others criticized Lisa’s new company, considering it inferior to her previous one.
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