You can trust VideoGamer. Our team of gaming experts spend hours testing and reviewing the latest games, to ensure you're reading the most comprehensive guide possible. Rest assured, all imagery and advice is unique and original. Check out how we test and review games hereShohei Ohtani is set to become the next Icon Series skin in Fortnite. The baseball star will team up with Epic Games to bring two unique skins to the popular battle royale game. One of the skins will be unlockable for free, and Ohtani will also receive several other cosmetic items that were revealed by the game developer.In this article, we will reveal everything you need to know about the upcoming Fortnite skin. Epic has revealed a lot of important details, including the release date. Furthermore, we will also check how to unlock one of his skins for free.When will Shohei Ohtani come to Fortnite?Epic Games will release Shohei Ohtani to Fortnite on March 17. Both of his skins (Icon and Samurai) will come to the Item Shop, as well as two emotes. On top of this, the game developer will release exclusive quests that grant XP. Players who compete in the limited-time cup will also get a chance to unlock the baseball stars skin for free, two days before it comes to the shop.Shoheis Fortnite debut will bring the following quests in Week 4 of Chapter 6 Season 2:Finish 3 matches in the Top 17Eliminate 3 players beyond 50 metersThrow 17 itemsDeal 54 damage to opponents with The KneecapperThese quests will go live on March 18 and will stay active until the end of the current Fortnite season.Shohei Ohtani will have his own Fortnite cup and a free skin. Image by VideoGamerThe price of Shohei Ohtanis Fortnite skins hasnt been revealed yet. However, judging by the previous Icon Series skins, we expect them to cost between 1,500 and 2,000 V-Bucks. Furthermore, Epic will likely release a bundle that contains all of the cosmetics at a discounted price.The Shohei Ohtani Fortnite Cup will go live on March 15, allowing players to compete for the Samurai skin. The skin will be given to 4,800 players in total. FortnitePlatform(s):Android, iOS, macOS, Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S/XGenre(s):Action, Massively Multiplayer, Shooter9VideoGamerRelated TopicsFortnite Subscribe to our newsletters!By subscribing, you agree to our Privacy Policy and may receive occasional deal communications; you can unsubscribe anytime.Share

Image: Square EnixA lot of classic video games are coming up on major milestones and anniversaries, and one of them happens to be Square Enix's legendary 1995 RPG Chrono Trigger.Today actually happens to be the game's 30th anniversary since its initial Super Famicom and SNES release and to mark this special occasion, Square Enix has announced it is planning a variety of projects over the next year which will apparently go "beyond the world of the game". This comes from a translation via the official company and game social media accounts. Here it is in full:Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798kWatch on YouTube Today marks the 30th anniversary of the release of "Chrono Trigger" in 1995. This timeless masterpiece that transcends generations and is still talked about today was born from a dream project by Yuji Horii of "Dragon Quest," Akira Toriyama of "Dragon Ball," and Hironobu Sakaguchi, the creator of "Final Fantasy."As we mark the 30th anniversary, we will be launching various projects that go beyond the world of the game over the next year to express our gratitude to everyone who has played Chrono Trigger so far .The latest information will be posted on Square Enix Official X and @ChronoTriggerPR, so please look forward to it.In addition to this announcement, there will be a special livestream spotlighting the music of the game's soundtrack. This will take place on 14th March and you'll be able to watch on the Square Enix Music Channel on YouTube.If you would like to revisit this classic, or experience it for the first time, you'll need to go beyond the Switch, as it's not been released on this platform. Hopefully, this will change at some point in the future - especially now that the big anniversary has arrived.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798k "Tackle life with as much energy as Goku! I'll try to do the same!"2D or not 2DWhat would you like to see during these anniversary celebrations? Let us know in the comments.[source gematsu.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:02 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesHamster's Arcade Archives Celebrates Eight Years Of Switch eShop Releases"Thank you for your unwavering support"Feature: These Past 8 Years Have Been A PrivilegeGolden generationNintendo Confirms Removal Of Switch Online SNES GameSuper Soccer will "no longer be available"Anniversary: Nintendo Switch Launched On This Day Eight Years AgoWhere does the time go?

The new Clovers Studio, led by video game industry legend Hideki Kamiya, won't be limited to "existing IP".Speaking to Japanese publication GameSpark, Kamiya and his former PlatinumGames colleague Kento Koyama mentioned how just because Clovers was starting with a sequel to Okami, didn't mean it would necessarily limit itself to sequels and spiritual successors.The team is actually open to "entirely new IP" and "will not close off any possibilities" when it comes to future projects beyond the new Okami title (translation via VGC):Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798kWatch on YouTube Kento Koyama: "When it comes to considering what to work on next, the studio may think it could be interesting to make a sequel to an existing IP, or a spiritual successor, or an entirely new IP altogether."Kamiya added to this noting how the studio would of course be open to a game based on an existing IP as long as the team felt it could add its unique style, and it got that "wow feeling" from the project proposal.For now, the focus is all on Okami 2 which will be directed by Hideki Kamiya but doesn't have a release date or any platorms confirmed at this early stage of development.Subscribe to Nintendo Life on YouTube798k Let's just touch baseHere's the project teaser trailerHowl could they do this to Chibiterasu?What else would you like to see from this studio in the future? Give us your thoughts in the comments.[source gamespark.jp, via videogameschronicle.com]Related GamesSee AlsoShare:00 Liam is a news writer and reviewer for Nintendo Life and Pure Xbox. He's been writing about games for more than 15 years and is a lifelong fan of Mario and Master Chief. Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...Related ArticlesPokmon Scarlet & Violet: Mystery Gift Codes ListAll the current Pokmon Scarlet and Violet Mystery Gift codesNintendo Discounts Several Games On Switch For MAR10 Day (North America)"I'm a slasher... of prices!"Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 4 Has Been Butchered For The Switch RemakePop shuvit up your...

A new venture firm called Leitmotif has been on a quiet blitz for the last 16 months, funding around 20 startups broadly focused on decarbonization. Its portfolio includes EV companies, space and battery plays, and four nuclear fusion startups. But the firm has only said its funding is from European industrial interests.Now, Leitmotif has told TechCrunch where the money came from: the Volkswagen Group.The German automotive giant has committed $300 million to Leitmotifs first fund and is its sole limited partner; Leitmotif has deployed roughly one third of that so far.And Leitmotif, according to the young firms managing partners Matt Trevithick and Jens Wiese, wants to spin up successive funds that draw in more European industrial interest beyond Volkswagen. (A spokesperson for Volkswagen Group declined to comment citing the communication blackout period ahead of its annual meeting later today.)Its an ambitious effort. Securing funding for hardware startups, especially ones with a serious manufacturing component, has been tough the last few years. But Trevithick believes its the right time to try to invest in these kinds of companies.Technology has always been a driver of human progress, and I think the United States is about to supercharge that, he told TechCrunch. I think the next several years are about to produce a number of technical capabilities in the United States that the rest of the world will marvel at.Leitmotif is also building a transatlantic fund while the geopolitical environment is being strained by the Trump administration.Despite that turmoil, Wiese who was the head of Volkswagen Groups M&A, Investment Advisory, and Partnerships division before starting Leitmotif said the overarching goal of the new firm is to create a bridge between the European industrial establishment and the US innovation ecosystem.Priority one: make moneyTrevithick and Wiese said Volkswagen had a top priority when it agreed to invest in the fund: make money.First and foremost, this is about setting up a successful venture firm, Wiese said.While Volkswagen Group rakes in hundreds of billions of dollars per year in revenue, Wiese said making money is still important in part because its how the industry keeps score.After that, the VC firm said it plans to invest in category defining companies within our fields of interest, according to Wiese, and also identify new pockets of innovation that could benefit the Volkswagen Group.Wiese said he expects roughly one quarter of Leitmotifs portfolio over time to interact with Volkswagen and its myriad brands.EV truck startup Harbinger is one example. Leitmotif co-led Harbingers $100 million Series B in January, and Wiese said the startup has had discussions about collaborating with Volkswagens trucking division.Geographically, Leitmotifs investment strategy is structured so that roughly 70% of its capital will be deployed in the U.S., with the other 30% being invested in the E.U. The firm will maintain offices in both Palo Alto and in Munich.Trevithick said 70% of Leitmotifs global investments in this first fund will be made in startups that are solving todays known problems and exist in billion dollar plus markets with customers ready to buy the innovation.The other 30% of the fund will be focused on what he called revolutionary innovation that will create billion dollar markets in the 2030s and beyond.So far, this strategy has led to investments in battery recycling company Redwood Materials, reusable rocket company Stoke Space, and even circular polyester startup Syre. Leitmotif has publicly backed 13 startups to date, though there are more in its portfolio that have not been announced.Leitmotif will eventually have other funds; Trevithick and Wiese said theyre particularly eyeing robotics and AI next. Volkswagen will have the right to invest in those if it chooses, but Leitmotif is independent and, for now, focused on finishing out its first fund.Timing is everythingLate 2023 was arguably the worst time for startups in recent memory to lock down large funding rounds, especially ones focused on hardware or deep tech, thanks to high interest rates.Trevithick said that made it a great time to start Leitmotif.Its in down markets when the strong companies separate from the weak. In a bubble, everyone gets funded, he said.That fundraising slowdown caused other firms to take fewer risks outside the startups they were already invested in, Trevithick said.There were less new dollars available to fund good companies that were there, because everyone got myopic about their own portfolio, he said. I think thats why we got a lot of inbound interest to participate in rounds that, in the bubble time, maybe we wouldnt have had access to.That interest came in large part thanks to Wieses and Trevithicks backgrounds.Wiese spent nearly 8 years at Volkswagen Group, where he ran mergers, acquisitions, and investments for the German automaker. During this stint at Volkswagen, Wiese developed what he called quite a deep network into the venture community, both in Europe and in the U.S. That included forging a relationship with battery maker QuantumScape, where Wiese was a board member until 2024.Trevithick, meanwhile, was a partner at Venrock for a decade. There, he focused on making investments in green energy during the original clean tech boom in the early 2010s, with his highest-profile bet being an early one on battery maker Atieva the company that eventually became Lucid Motors.Investing, advising, and guiding companies through the subsequent clean tech bust was valuable experience for navigating the uncertainty currently plaguing the industry, Trevithick said.While many corporate net zero goals are being either hedged or abandoned outright, Trevithick said the clean tech industry is starting in a much better position this time around.Plus, Trevithick said he believes the unpredictability will present more opportunity for firms like Leitmotif and the startups it backs.I think we can all agree its just going to be a highly volatile environment. Which should disproportionately favor entrepreneurs, startups, and venture capitalists, he said.We feel very confident about our portfolio, Wiese added. Yes, [decarbonization] is our overarching theme. At the same time, we invest in companies where we are convinced they have the business case to succeed regardless of what, lets say, the theme of the day is.

Medical imaging is a broad term that encompasses several distinct technologies. After working on AI-powered tools to enhance X-rays and mammographies, French startup Gleamer now aims to tackle magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).Instead of starting from scratch, Gleamer has acquired two startups that have already been working on AI-powered MRI analysis: Pixyl and Caerus Medical.Gleamer is part of the second wave of startups trying to improve medical imaging using artificial intelligence. Several tech founders created startups around this topic in 2014 or 2015. While most of them went nowhere, there have been some consolidation in the space. For instance, Zebra Medical Vision and Arterys were both acquired by Nanox and Tempus, respectively. Founded in 2017, Gleamer has been building an AI assistant for radiologists, a sort of copilot for medical imaging. With Gleamer, radiologists can theoretically improve the diagnostic accuracy when interpreting medical images.The startup has already persuaded 2,000 institutions across 45 countries to use its software solution. Overall, Gleamer has processed 35 million examinations. The company has received CE and FDA certifications for its bone trauma interpretation product. In Europe, it also offers products specifically focused on chest X-rays, orthopedic and bone age measurements with CE certification.Unfortunately, the one-size-fits-all approach to radiology doesnt work, Gleamer co-founder and CEO Christian Allouche told TechCrunch. Its very complicated to have a large model that covers all medical imaging and delivers the level of performance expected by doctors.Thats why the company created small internal teams focused on mammographies and CT scans. Three weeks ago we released our mammography product, which we have been working on for 18 months, Allouche said. Its based on a proprietary AI model that has been trained on 1.5 million mammographies.We have a partnership with Jean Zay, the French governments GPU cluster, Allouche said. The company is also working on CT scans for cancers.But what about MRI? MRI is a different technological space, Allouche said. You have a lot of tasks in MRI. Its not just detection, youve got segmentation, youve got detection, youve got characterization, classification, multi-sequence imaging.Thats why Gleamer is buying two small startups that have been working on this space for several years to move faster. Gleamer isnt disclosing the terms of the deals.These two companies will become our two MRI platforms, with the clear ambition of covering all use cases over the next two to three years, Allouche said.Preventive medical imagingWhile Gleamers models show promising results, they are not yet perfect. For example, with the companys new mammography model, the startup claims it can detect four out of five cancers. In comparison, a human radiologist without AI assistance typically identifies cancer in three out of five cases.However, the productivity gains from a tool like Gleamer could radically change medical imaging. A missed tumor is likely to appear in a follow-up exam a few months later.In the not-too-distant future, I think well all be getting routine whole body MRIs paid for by our insurance companies since theyre not irradiating, Allouche said.However, in some cities, there are already too few radiologists to meet the demand for reactive imaging. If the industry shifts toward preventive imaging, AI tools will become indispensable.Gleamers CEO thinks AI could become an orchestrating and triaging tool. Most medical imaging examinations are conducted as a way to rule out some diagnoses. So, theres a real need to automate all this with a very solid AI model that has a much higher level of sensitivity than a human, Allouche said.

Windows 11 is finally catching upNurPhoto via Getty ImagesWe are fast approaching a crunch point for Microsoft and hundreds of millions of users sticking with software that will no longer receive security updates. This unprecedented situation could lead to security nightmare for the company and for the millions left exposed to an increasingly dangerous cybersecurity landscape.Microsofts free upgrade offer to Windows 11 remains open, albeit only for those with the right spec of PC. Combined with constant warnings and nags, it is finally putting a dent into the problem. February saw Windows 10 hit a new low, as tens of millions of users suddenly, finally switched to Windows 11, per the latest data from Statcounter.Last year ended badly as regards the Windows 11 upgrade program, with users seemingly ditching Windows 11 to return to Windows 10 in November and December. That left an almost 30% gap between the two, with Windows 10 stubbornly holding above a 60% market share and Windows 11 seemingly unable to get past the mid-30s.But 2025 has brought two months of accelerating upgrades, and by the end of February according to this data Windows 10 was finally down below 60% (58.7%) and Windows 11 was heading towards 40% (38.13%). This 20-point gap is the narrowest its been and were likely bumping up against those that cant instead of those that wont.Windows 11 finally narrows the gapStatcounterThe reversal late last year was likely down to Microsoft confirming a one-time, 12-month security extension for Windows 10 users willing to pay the company $30. But the news flow since on security, features and risks has made that seem less appealing.This year has brought some confusion on whether the free upgrade to Windows 11 is time-boxed and will be withdrawn. Microsoft says it will not for those with the right hardware, as long as it is a fully licensed Windows 10 machine.Meanwhile, the task of convincing those without the right hardware to buy new PCs continues, triggering what some have warned will be a landfill catastrophe with all those unusable devices. Microsoft has again promoted the security benefits of new hardware running Windows 11, even as it clamps down on upgrade workarounds.Over the coming months we will find out where that hardware red line is, as upgrades slow towards the October 14th deadline. Will Microsoft remove the $30 hurdle for those stuck on Windows 10? We will find out. But the nightmare of all those devices being exposed to any and all vulnerabilities that hit month by month will become very real.

Asus has introduced a new lineup of monitors featuring built-in air purification, combining display technology with environmental health benefits. The VU Air Ionizer series includes three models: the 23.8-inch VU249HFI-W, the 27-inch VU279HFI-W, and the 34-inch VU34WCIP-W.These displays come with an integrated VU Air Ionizer that, according to Asus, removes up to 90% of airborne dust and pollutants within a cubic meter over three hours. This feature aims to improve air quality, particularly for users in dusty environments, though air ionization technology remains a subject of debate in terms of its effectiveness.Recommended VideosThe VU249HFI-W and VU279HFI-W use IPS panels with a 1920 x 1080 resolution, a 100Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms MPRT (Moving Picture Response Time). They offer a 1300:1 contrast ratio and 250 nits of brightness. Meanwhile, the VU34WCIP-W features a VA panel with a 3440 x 1440 resolution, a 21:9 ultrawide aspect ratio, a 100Hz refresh rate, and a 1ms MPRT. This model delivers a higher contrast ratio of 3000:1 and 300 nits of brightness, making it more suitable for deep blacks and high contrast visuals. All three monitors also come with Adaptive Sync support with variable refresh rate support.AsusAsus has priced the monitors competitively, with the VU249HFI-W starting at $129, the VU279HFI-W at $159, and the high-end VU34WCIP-W retailing for $359. These models are now available for purchase through Asuss official channels and select retailers.AsusBeyond air purification, the monitors incorporate features such as SmoothMotion technology for fluid visuals and Color Vision Deficiency modes to aid users with color perception challenges. They also emphasize sustainability, with eco-friendly packaging that can be repurposed as document or laptop holders. While the integration of an air purifier is a unique addition, the actual impact of air ionization remains uncertain. However, Asuss VU Air Ionizer series stands out as an innovative approach to improving both display quality and workspace health.Editors Recommendations

Drone specialist DJI has partnered with Chinese auto giant BYD to create Lingyuan (Sprite Kite), which puts a drone station on the top of a car.At first glance, the idea looks a little goofy. Actually, it looks a little goofy at second glance, too. But trust us, this is for real. You can check it out in the video ad below:BYD Launches Roof-Mounted DJI Drone For Its CarsAs the footage shows, Lingyuan is essentially a roof-mounted drone system designed for integration with BYD vehicles. It enables autonomous drone take-offs, landings, and real-time filming, with the entire process controllable via the cars central touchscreen display, which is where the drones livestream footage also appears.Recommended VideosBut if youre already imagining filming your next road trip with DJIs camera drone capturing sweeping cinematic shots of your motor as it hurtles along a remote highway against the backdrop of a gorgeous setting sun, just keep in mind: You can only drive up to 33 mph (54 kph). Guess you could always speed up the video.Please enable Javascript to view this contentIf you go any faster, the drone will likely give up on you and possibly seek a new life elsewhere.Furthermore, youll need to slow down to 15 mph (25 kph) whenever you want to deploy or land the aircraft. Again, faster than that could make things tricky for the drone as it attempts to land on a moving target.BYD first unveiled the plan for a roof-mounted drone system in 2023, and now its available for all BYD models. The package includes a retractable landing pad, charging station, and video editing software. It also includes a drone, of course, though the specific model isnt stated. Going by the ad, its DJIs very capable Air 3S quadcopter.Lingyuan is currently a China exclusive and costs 16,000 Chinese yuan (about $2,200). Theres no word yet on whether its coming to other countries.Editors Recommendations

2025-03-11T06:40:15Z Read in app Dax Shepard shared how being on "Parenthood" changed his views on pay. JB Lacroix/Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Dax Shepard says he stopped trying to find out how much his costars made when he starred in "Parenthood."That way, he could continue to enjoy going to work, Shepard said on his "Armchair Expert" podcast.He said he was aware he was among the lowest-paid actors on the show.Dax Shepard may be a popular podcaster now, but he said there was a time when he wasn't making much money as an actor.During Monday's episode of his "Armchair Expert" podcast featuring his former "Parenthood" costar Lauren Graham, Shepard spoke about how being on the show changed the way he thought about pay transparency."Every job I had ever had in my life prior to 'Parenthood,' I made a point to find out what everyone was making," Shepard told Graham and his cohost, actor Monica Padman. "I'd always figure it out either a conversation where I get it out of them or backchannel through an agent."But when Shepard landed the role of Crosby Braverman in the NBC series, which ran for six seasons from 2010 to 2015, he decided to stop doing that. Because of that choice, Shepard said he was "so happy" working on the show."If I find out that Jabbar is making twice as much as me, how can I enjoy going to work?" he said, referring to Jabbar Trussell, his onscreen son played by actor Tyree Brown."That was the first time I ever broke that habit and boy, was that a blessing," he said.Earlier in the podcast, Shepard said that he was among the lowest-paid of the show's actors. Earlier comments about moneyDuring a 2021 appearance on the "Tell Me With Ellen Pompeo" podcast, Shepard said that he was sometimes bothered by social media comments that he made less money than his wife, Kristen Bell."That shouldn't bother me at all," Shepard told host Ellen Pompeo. "I know how much I make. It's a lot.""Yet, two days later, I'll be hearing thatThe Wall Street Journal reported that in July 2024, Shepard signed an $80 million podcasting deal with Amazon's Wondery platform. As part of the deal, Wondery and Shepard's "Armchair Expert" team would develop and produce two new podcasts and one livestream a year.In the past few years, a growing number of states, includingNew York,California, and Nevada, have passed pay transparency measures that force companies to disclose compensation levels.Some employers are hesitant to share salary information upfront since it gives them an advantage during pay negotiations with candidates, workplace expert and author Jenn Lim previously told Business Insider.Not disclosing immediately gives the companies "more wiggle room on the back end," Lim said in 2022. "It's a negotiation point."If companies are hoping to appeal to Gen Z job seekers, pay transparency is a must: A 2022 Indeed survey of 2,000 people aged 16 to 26 years found that 85% of respondents said that it's important or very important for a job listing to include salary information.Representatives for Shepard and NBC did not immediately respond to requests for comment sent by BI outside regular hours.

2025-03-11T05:15:21Z Read in app Felix Lee, an Australian singer based in South Korea, has been Louis Vuitton's brand ambassador since 2023. Antoine Flament/Getty Images This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. Become an Insider and start reading now.Have an account? Australian-born K-Pop singer Felix Lee walked the Louis Vuitton runway in Paris on Monday night.Lee is a muse hand-picked by Nicolas Ghesquire, Louis Vuitton's artistic director.Lee's second turn on the catwalk comes as LVMH bets big on East Asia, buying into endorsements from K-Pop.Wherever Felix Lee goes, the lights and Louis Vuitton seem to follow.On Monday, the 24-year-old Australian-born K-Pop singer showed up at LV's March Fall-Winter 2025 show in Paris for his second time on the catwalk.He walked the runway wearing pieces designed by Nicolas Ghesquire, LV's artistic director for womenswear. The look: Loose gingham-print pants with a black and beige knit sweater paired with a teal duffel bag with orange straps. Lee's hair freshly bleached blonde was straight and slicked back, reminiscent of his first visit on the LV catwalk in 2023. Lee who is based in South Korea and part of the eight-member band Stray Kids is one of Ghesquire's latest muses. And while it's now common to see at least one South Korean pop star sitting front-row at fashion shows in New York, London, and Paris, it's still rare for one of them to walk the runway for a major brand.Before Monday's show, Lee posted stories on Instagram with Ghesquire, where the designer said it was a "big honor" to have Lee at his show.In several of the brand's videos, Lee has spoken extensively about his friendship with Ghesquire.In a March video from LV, Lee said he first met Ghesquire in 2023 in Seoul."It's such a huge pleasure to meet him up front, and from there on, we became good friends," he said in the video.He said Ghesquire personally invited him to walk in the LV Fall-Winter 2024 show in Paris."The fact that I got to attend and do my first runway for Nicolas' 10th-anniversary runway honestly, it just blew my mind," Lee said in a May interview with Vogue. Lee made his runway debut with LV at the label's Fall-Winter 2024 show in Paris. Vianney Le Caer/Invision/AP Lee's Instagram page, which had 26.2 million followers as of press time, is full of pictures of him wearing LV pieces.In a September post, he wore a black tee with the words "Vuitton Louis icons" emblazoned on it.Another October post showed him carrying the brand's Neverfull bag.LV bets big on East AsiaLee's meteoric rise in LV's hall of muses comes as LV bets big on Asian endorsements. Lisa from the K-Pop girl group Blackpink, who was previously the face of Celine, joined LV as a brand ambassador in July.And back in 2021, LV tapped BTS as house ambassadors.The larger LVMH business, too, has added K-Pop idols to its roster of ambassadors.In 2023, Dior and Tiffany & Co. made Jimin one of the seven members of BTS their brand ambassador. V, also from BTS, became the face of Celine and Cartier the same year.In 2021, Tiffany & Co. signed Blackpink singer Ros to be the face of the brand. Her bandmate, Jisoo, was chosen as Dior's global ambassador in 2021.To be sure, the connections between Korean pop culture and Western high fashion have been over a decade in the making.G-Dragon the leader of BIGBANG, the top band in South Korea's pop scene in the 2000s was one of Chanel's hottest faces in Asia. The rapper was friends with the late Karl Lagerfeld and, in 2015, walked in Chanel's haute couture show in Paris.A broader East Asia marketing push from LVJacob Cooke, the CEO of the China-based marketing firm WPIC Marketing + Technologies, said that LV's strategy of featuring K-Pop stars like Lee is a "continuation of its broader East Asia approach, where luxury brands use celebrity endorsements to cultivate deep emotional connections with consumers.""South Korea has long been a cultural powerhouse for luxury, driving trends across Asia and beyond, particularly through K-Pop and K-drama fandoms, so LV's investment in stars like Felix Lee makes sense in terms of market positioning for the entire region," Cooke said.However, Cooke said celebrity endorsements may not always be effective for sustained brand growth, as the brand risks appearing "too mass market" and less "aspirational." Representatives for Lee at JYP Entertainment and Louis Vuitton did not respond to requests for comment from Business Insider.