BLACKPINK’s Lisa Confirmed To Launch Her Own Fashion Line & Fans Have Mixed Opinions

HYPEBEAST Korea confirmed the new fashion label on January 12.

With BLACKPINK’s Lisa confirmed to launch her own clothing label in the near future, BLINKs aren’t sure whether to be happy or worried.

Earlier in the week, fans discovered that YG Entertainment had registered two trademarks for Lisa’s real name back in December 2019: ‘Manobal Lalisa’ and ‘Manobal’. The trademarks were registered under Clothing and became active in January 2020.

BLINKs were worried about just why YG Entertainment wanted to trademark her name. Some believed it was a power move just to stop Lisa from using her own name if she ever leaves the company. However, HYPEBEAST Korea has now confirmed that Lisa will be launching her own fashion line while under the company.

The fashion line will include outerwear such as coats and jackets as well as underwear. Lisa has long been considered a style icon and trendsetter in South Korea, so it’s no surprise to see her venturing out into her own fashion pursuits. However, not all BLINKs are happy about the announcement.

There are a lot of fans who are proud and happy to see Lisa achieving so much success, hoping that this brand will open up new opportunities for her in the world of fashion.

However, the situation might not be that clear cut. One major factor that has fans worried is the trademarks themselves. When literally transliterated, Lisa’s last name is spelled ‘Manobal’. However, in her native language of Thai, the name is pronounced ‘Manoban’. In the past, Lisa cleared the matter up, confirming the correct spelling—the one she prefers.

This begs the question, why would she choose to register the incorrect spelling of her own name? Many fans believe the incorrectly spelled trademark suggests that the entire fashion label is YG Entertainment’s idea and perhaps nothing to do with what Lisa wants.

Some BLINKs are also worried that this will affect her ability to work with major fashion brands. Lisa has been a muse for luxury French fashion brand Celine for over a year now, and recently joined Filipino clothing brand Penshoppe as an ambassador.

The concern isn’t unfounded. In the past, Lisa’s exclusive contract with NONA9ON (YG Entertainment’s streetwear brand) prevented her from working with bigger fashion houses.

She also has a contract with another YG Entertainment brand, Moonshot cosmetics, which keeps her from being eligible for major makeup endorsements.

On top of that, many are concerned about YG Entertainment continuing to pursue non-music related activities for the group. Fans have been hoping for a Lisa solo for quite some time, and they’re worried that the company’s priorities are all wrong.

Of course, there’s no way to know for sure how this venture will work out until it comes to fruition. For now, BLINKs can only hope that the Manobal label will be a great thing for Lisa’s career and place in the fashion world.

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