JENO of NCT Makes K-Pop History at Peter Do’s NYFW Show

On Tuesday, September 13 in New York City, K-pop history was made. We’re not talking about top charting hits or Instagram followers in the millions, either. Instead, a much quieter but nonetheless impactful moment occurred at 28 Liberty Street in Manhattan’s Financial District. Inside a quiet, brightly lit studio with stone floors and floor-to-ceiling windows, the designer Peter Do staged his spring 2023 collection show during New York Fashion Week, putting look after outstanding minimalist look down the runway. Opening the show was the K-pop musician JENO of the supergroup NCT—marking the very first time a K-pop star has walked the first look at an NYFW presentation. (The designer’s collection was part of a partnership with South Korea’s largest entertainment company, SM Entertainment.) The South Korean rapper, dancer, singer, and songwriter took to the catwalk alongside seasoned models, fellow K-pop stars, (SM ROOKIES’s SHOHEI and EUNSEOK,) and friends of the brand (Burdock Media’s Peter Ash Lee). JENO’s look: a chicly tailored take on the smoking tuxedo jacket, wide-leg black pants, and sky-high platform heels. After walking the runway one last time for his finale, he headed to the designer’s after party at DUMBO House in Brooklyn. “I have so much respect for these artists, because there is so much time put into their craft that people simply don’t see,” Do said of the K-pop stars featured in his show. “Few realize the intensity of what’s happening behind the scenes to achieve the end product; it’s similar to fashion, so I identify with that process.”

Follow JENO’s jam-packed NYFW day, from getting prepped at the show to the swinging after party, below.