To understand what K-pop stars Aespa are all about, look no further than the words “queen bee” stitched across the bedazzled black bodysuit that member Ningning wore on the Coachella stage on April 23. It’s a bold declaration for an act making its festival debut, but for Korea’s current It girls, it’s prophetic.
In just 18 months the fab foursome have redefined what global audiences can expect from pop music and its stars, taking K-pop’s eclectic genre-hopping sounds and expansive world building to the next level of digital innovation. The members of Aespa—Karina, Giselle, Winter, and Ningning—have A.I. avatars, a narrative concept that spans multiple dimensions and creates a distinct visual language that blends fantasy and futurism.
It seeps into their music too. Their 2021 electro-funk single “Next Level” was a massive hit in Korea, becoming one of the most successful girl group releases of the year. Their increasing success and star power has landed them numerous brand deals across beauty, fashion, and tech. They’re the faces of Clio Cosmetics and Mediheal, and most notably, they’re global ambassadors for luxury fashion house Givenchy.
In Korea they’re everywhere. Now they’re making moves globally.
This past weekend Aespa brought their vision of the future to Coachella’s main stage during 88Rising’s Heads in the Clouds Forever event on Saturday. They performed four songs, including a new English track called “Life’s Too Short,” a breezy ode to staying true to yourself. If Aespa had any nerves, they didn’t show them, opting instead to wear their confidence in custom designs from Korean stylist Kim Wook.
For their Coachella looks, it was important to lean into Aespa’s preestablished futuristic warrior aesthetic while also illuminating each member’s individual charms through small details like bows, beads, feathers, and chains.
“The main theme of our visuals was freedom,” Karina tells Glamour. She says they wanted to match the vibe of the outdoor festival. “Our Coachella outfits shine visually, but more than that, they play a role in complementing our performance,” she adds.
Karina
Karina’s navy blue bustier was adorned with crystals, detailed beadwork, and metallic crosses. “The beaded details were added so that our performance could stand out on the flashy Coachella stage,” she says. A pair of glittering off-the-shoulder puff sleeves added a softer touch. It’s feminine without being too delicate. Her lace-up silver combat boots and the chain wrap tied around her waist imbued the look with edge.
And Karina’s favorite part of her look? Her freshly dyed purple hair. She chose the color herself.
Giselle
“We prepared a more glamorous look [for Coachella] rather than our usual futuristic conceptual looks,” Giselle says. To emphasize Aespa’s powerful electro-pop sound, Kim typically likes to play with bold designs and colors. Think “unique, geometric patterns [and] bold cutouts” that complement the complex matrix of Aespa’s digital universe, Giselle describes. However, on the Coachella stage, Kim highlighted Aespa’s dazzling versatility.
Her black ensemble was covered in white lace and pearl detailing, giving her a structured silhouette that gleamed under the stage lights. When she moved, the large satin bows tied at her wrist danced along to her rhythm. Giselle calls the look “one of [her] favorites.” She might be a bit biased, though. “Black is my favorite color, so I can’t not love it,” she says.
Ningning
For the teenage idol, there’s no such thing as too many sparkles, so Ningning needed an outfit that would match her luminous personality. The black bodysuit—the bodice of which was covered in sequins and tiny beads, with chiffon ruching at the hip—transformed her into a midnight mirrorball.
As for the ostentatious “queen bee” stitched into the fabric, it was the ultimate symbol of self-expression—and a playful nod to the group’s rousing opening number “Aenergy,” a song off their debut E.P., Savage. A mix of Korean and English, the hype track is the perfect introduction to their potency. “Gorgeous! Who you think about? Too hot! Who you think about? Fabulous! Who you think about? Aespa!” they shouted to the crowd.
Winter
For Winter, whose everyday style is “comfy and casual,” looking the part of a global pop star helps her feel like one too. The right outfit, she adds, “boosts our confidence as artists onstage.”
The typically soft-spoken Winter wanted her pieces to “go along with the vibe of Coachella’s stage at night,” so she was fitted in an all-white ensemble. The corseted top was embellished with “fancy beads,” and the feathers on her skirt gave her “a sense of freedom” to move around without inhibition.
Offstage, Aespa embrace a much more laid-back look. Karina describes her style as simple and casual, the opposite of her pop star persona. “I don’t usually dress up or overaccessorize myself,” she says. “I prefer looks that are simple but have a wow point…. I don’t prefer bold or flashy colors. If the patterns of my outfits are too bold, I always tone down my overall look by styling it with a more natural beauty look and hairstyle.”
Instagram content
This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.
Case in point: her offstage Coachella style. On Friday night (April 22), she wore a tight patterned OFOTD dress and paired it with a classic black leather jacket.
Meanwhile, Giselle brought comfort and edge to the desert. She donned a Kijun black-and-white cardigan and a beguiling black Itzavibe skirt that read “All I Want Is You” in white script. “I always keep it edgy with my accessories,” Giselle says, noting her thick silver chain necklace.
Winter achieved maximum comfort levels in a leopard halter-neck OFOTD dress and a bomber jacket from her stylist.
And Ningning went full Coachella vibes in a knit butterfly top from online retailer Cider and Lekim jeans. “I don’t think I stick to one particular style,” Ningning says. “As Aespa, we are always…trying out new styles. So in the future I would like to pull off more styles personally as well.”
And there’s no better playground for experimentation and eclecticism than Coachella. “The unique festival styling of the audience definitely caught my eyes,” Karina says. “I think [it’s] the charm of Coachella.”
