BLACKPINK once again stole the spotlight at Paris Fashion Week, but this season, the buzz wasn’t just about fashion. Instead, controversy erupted after ELLE UK and ELLE Korea were accused of downplaying or ignoring the appearances of BLACKPINK’s Rosé and Lisa —two of the event’s most high-profile stars.
The drama began when Rosé, global ambassador for Saint Laurent, was noticeably cropped out of a group photo posted by ELLE UK. The original image featured four celebrities at the front row, but Rosé’s exclusion left fans puzzled and outraged. ELLE UK later claimed the photo crop was due to “image size restrictions,” but the explanation failed to quell the backlash.
“In the future, we will ensure accurate and complete event coverage to show proper respect to all individuals,” ELLE UK stated in a follow-up post featuring Rosé alone. Still, fans argued the damage was already done, especially as Rosé remained the only BLACKPINK member—and the only Asian—featured on their page throughout the Spring/Summer 2026 shows.
Meanwhile, Lisa appeared in ELLE UK’s Louis Vuitton post but was overshadowed by Zendaya, while Jisoo and fellow Asian celebrities like Jimin and Dilraba Dilmurat were absent from the Dior post altogether. The pattern has fueled allegations of subtle racial bias, with many accusing the British magazine of selectively excluding Asian stars despite their global fame and influence.
Shockingly, even ELLE Korea, the home country edition of the publication, failed to spotlight Rosé and Lisa. As of now, the magazine has only shared Dior show content featuring Jisoo and Jimin, with no acknowledgment of Lisa’s attendance at Louis Vuitton or Rosé’s prominent role at Saint Laurent. This has led to confusion and disappointment among Korean fans who expected more robust local support.
In stark contrast, ELLE Thailand—Lisa’s native edition—has emerged as the most supportive. The Thai branch covered every BLACKPINK-related fashion show with enthusiasm, dedicating separate posts to each member and ensuring even lesser-known Asian celebrities were properly featured.
As accusations swirl, the incident raises uncomfortable questions about racial representation and editorial responsibility in global fashion media. With BLACKPINK consistently ranking among the most influential figures in luxury branding, their exclusion from such coverage seems increasingly hard to justify.
As the fashion industry continues to grapple with diversity and inclusion, all eyes remain on how legacy publications like ELLE will respond—not just with words, but with meaningful change.
Sources: kenh14
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