Is Lisa's Top A Copy?

By Style On The Dot on 02/07/2024

A star-shaped undergarment worn in the Thai singer's MV for her newest single was pointed out to be a knockoff

Lisa in the music video of Rockstar. Screen shot: lloudofficial/YouTube

For a woman this celebrated, whose dress sense is this noted, you'd never think that Blackpink's Lisa Manoban (better known by the mononym Lisa) would wear anything not original. But a star-shaped 肚兜 (dudou) or abdominal covering that she wore in her latest music video Rockstar has allowed controversy to rock along with her. According to a London-based Chinese designer Jewel Y, aka Yang Yue (杨越), the star-shaped bodice of the front-side-only top that Lisa wore is based on a design that she developed back in 2020, during the COVID lockdown. In a post shared on China's 小红书 (Xiaohongshu), Ms Yang claimed that the design was inspired by the Beijing rock band 唐朝 or Tang Dynasty (why the star shape is associated with the band she did not say, except that it "represents Beijing") and was conceived while she was completing a master's programme at the University of the Arts London.

To prove her point, Ms Yang shared images on social media of her star top in the developmental stages and showed the shaping of the garment on a tailor dummy with a toile. She also included eight images of individuals (including Chinese K-pop singer Ningning [宁宁 or 宁艺卓, Ning Yizhuo] of the South Korean group æspa), who have worn the top in different fabrics. On Xiaohongshu, her frustration with what she perceives as outright copying is palpable: "一天天抄来抄去真是烦死了，这件不知道被多少人抄过了 (So frustrated by the constant copying. I don't know how many people have copied this)." In a separate Instagram post, she wrote in English: "The star design was then either blatantly copied by other people or "modified" a bit to look otherwise. I agree that there are different minds thinking alike, but at the same time I think my design was definitely somehow on someone's mood board at some point."

The Jewel Y toile and the end product, according to designer Yang Yue. Photos: a1jewel_Y/Instagram

Ms Yang's original design, as seen in the completed garments worn by those she had loan the top to, is a star-shaped bodice held up by a band collar and is paired with a mini-skirt. Lisa's version in the Rockstar video is a similar five-point star, but secured to the neck by what appears to be cords. The two bottom points of the pentagram are also attached with cords that further secured the garment to the waist when tied to the back. The top is worn with trousers that looked like fatigues. It seems that Lisa's is not subjected to the rigours of proper construction. Ms Yang's version has the part of the star with the horizontal top moulded neatly over the bust. In contrast, Lisa's is not, which required her to wear a narrow bandeau (that did not match her skin colour) beneath the garment, but it was, strangely, not worn to be concealed.

Although wearing a star-shaped top for a song titled Rockstar is hardly groundbreaking, many of Lisa's fans believe that all that matters is that she looks good. On Xiaohongshu (and on 微博, Weibo), the response to Yang Yue's allegations were not always met with understanding, with some saying that the designer was "targeting" the singer. Apparently Ms Yang attempted to contact Lisa's stylist, but was met with no response. Then on 27 June, she received an email from Lisa's "PR team" with the message: "You can be assured this will not happen again in the future. We sincerely apologise." Ms Yang shared the email on Xiaohongshu, only to be told by commentators that the statement was from a fan group, not Lisa's newly formed company Lloyd. This allegations of plagiarism has made headlines globally, but it is doubtful that it will dent the Thai singer's popularity.

Now that she is not a Celine ambassador, Lisa happily rapped on Rockstar: "tight dress, LV sent it. Oh shit, Lisa reppin'". Is she really? It is notable that Louis Vuitton is mentioned in the song. Online chatter speculated that she could be the new face of LV after she appeared at the brand's autumn/winter 2024 show in Paris last March. And she seems to be confirming it now. Among her fans, there is already certainty in that as many are sold on the "rumours" that she is dating LVMH scion Frédéric Arnault. If LV is truly in the picture (never mind that Nicolas Ghesquière is not into constricted clothes), Lisa Manoban can remain quiet about the Jewel Y accusations. A second LVMH brand association means she will have no shortage of dresses to wear, even if she wants them tight, shaped in the symbol of the Pythagoreans.