Model Student Style with Rimless Glasses... Karina and Heo Yoon-jin Also Wore the 'Geek Chic Look' [Youth Report]

Neat and Chic 'Gik Chic Look' Popular
Adding a Point with Rimless Glasses
Foreign Media "Must Pay Attention to Latest Fashion Trend Glasses"

Recently, the Geek Chic look has been gaining popularity among young people. 'Geek Chic' is a combination of the English words 'geek,' meaning 'nerd,' and 'chic,' meaning 'stylish,' referring to a neat yet unique and chic styling. Glasses that give an intellectual vibe and oversized jackets are representative items of the Geek Chic look. Interest in Geek Chic has been growing even more as various fashion brands, including Miu Miu, have launched numerous new products themed around this style.

Geek Chic Look Popularity... Idols Also Hooked on Rimless Glasses

aespa Karina. [Image source=Instagram]

Last year, the 'Old Money Look,' a simple yet elegant style, was trending, but this year, the Geek Chic look, which emphasizes accessories like glasses, has emerged as the mainstream fashion. The core of the Geek Chic look is wearing neat, model-student-like clothes paired with mismatched glasses such as rimless or horn-rimmed frames. In particular, popular idols like aespa's Karina, LE SSERAFIM's Heo Yunjin, and NewJeans' Hyein have completed their Geek Chic looks with rimless glasses, further increasing interest.

According to the keyword analysis platform Black Kiwi, the search volume for 'Geek Chic' is expected to reach 75,500 this month. This is a 127% increase compared to last month. Additionally, the search volume for 'rimless glasses,' a representative item of the Geek Chic look, has also increased. The search volume for 'rimless glasses' is expected to reach 26,700 this month, a 41% increase from last month.

Miu Miu's 'Rigard Sunglasses'. [Image source = Miu Miu official website]

Geek Chic is not a newly emerged trend. The Geek Chic look first appeared at the 2015 Gucci Milan show. At that time, Gucci showcased a unique style by pairing boldly colored clothes with large horn-rimmed glasses.

There was no significant reaction to the Geek Chic look back then. However, this year, the Geek Chic look became a hot topic again when Miu Miu matched glasses with classic and casual looks at the 24 SS season fashion show. In particular, Miu Miu's 'Rigard Sunglasses' gained popularity after IVE's Jang Wonyoung wore them.

"Glasses, once used as a means to improve vision, are now the latest fashion trend"

Movie still from 'The Social Network.' This film tells the story of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.
[Image courtesy of Sony Pictures Releasing Buena Vista Films]

The 'Geek Chic look' is a fashion trend that has evolved one step beyond the 'Nerd Look.' The Nerd Look features fashion that gives a clumsy impression, such as thick horn-rimmed glasses or checkered shirts. The black turtleneck, jeans, and sneakers worn by Apple founder the late Steve Jobs are representative of the Nerd Look. Also, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's gray hoodie fashion is a typical example of the Nerd Look. The Geek Chic look can be described as adding a chic charm to the Nerd Look.

Geek Chic is also gaining attention abroad. In January, the American media outlet New York Post published an article titled 'Geek Chic: This Year's Most Popular Fashion Accessory is Glasses,' stating, "We all need to pay attention to glasses, the latest fashion trend." It continued, "In the past, glasses were considered a means to improve vision, but today, public perception of glasses is different," adding, "They have essentially become accessories now." The outlet also noted, "As demand for glasses increases, shapes, sizes, and colors have diversified."

The New York Post estimated that the current U.S. eyewear market size is about $35 billion (46.795 trillion KRW) and predicted that the luxury eyewear market value will soar to $56 billion (74.872 trillion KRW) by 2033.