Photo Credits: K-Tigers

CLASS:y, the genre-blurring K-pop ensemble celebrated for their aesthetic audacity, have delivered a cinematic visual feast in their latest concept pictorial, “Hitchhiking (Introduce Film Photo – CLASS:y, In your 🤍).” In a landscape awash with idol visuals, CLASS:y’s interpretation stands apart—crafting a high-fashion road narrative punctuated with subversive glamour and spontaneous youth. This editorial unpacks the art direction, styling minutiae, and subtext woven through the shoot, offering a lens worthy of Vogue’s tradition of detailed fashion analysis.

Set against an imagined open road, the concept borrows from the cultural legacy of hitchhiking: a mix of nostalgia, rebellion, and pursuit of freedom, as referenced in academic discussions of hitchhiking as “a form of self-expression and emancipation”. The group reimagines this with cinematic intensity, with every frame designed to evoke movement—wind-ruffled hair, sun-bleached denim, and expressions brimming with curiosity.​

Styling & Hair/Makeup Breakdown:

  • Look 1: Americana Road Trip
    Members step out in distressed denim—cutoff shorts and oversized jackets—layered over cropped logo tees and vintage bandanas. High top sneakers and chunky leather boots ground each look, conjuring images of Americana with a K-pop twist. Hair appears tousled and wind-swept, echoing the authenticity of the road, while makeup is intentionally fresh: dewy skin punctuated with a pop of coral blush and brushed-up brows for a lived-in glow.
  • Look 2: Retro Film Starlets
    Here, the styling channels old-Hollywood, with silk scarves worn as headbands, ‘60s-inspired cat-eye liner, and high-shine lips. Monochrome palette sets are offset by bold statement jewelry—oversized hoops, layered necklaces—while glossy waves and low ponytails offer an updated take on retro glamour.
  • Look 3: Utility Chic
    Cargo trousers, mesh tops, and utility vests play up the functionality of travel, blending gender-neutral cuts with high-fashion tailoring. Eye makeup shifts bolder: metallic lids and subtle winged liner frame the gaze, paired with a soft, blurred lip and light contouring. Hair is slicked back or styled into braided accents, suggesting adaptability and modernity.

Each look is meticulously curated to create both harmony within the group and individuality among members, celebrating the patchwork nature of hitchhiking communities—each traveler a story, each ensemble a set piece. The art direction leans into documentary aesthetics, with natural lighting and minimal backdrop interference, prioritizing the authenticity of CLASS:y’s on-the-move energy over artificial polish.​

The backstory of this visual chapter mirrors CLASS:y’s current era: following their agency transition to K-TIGERS after leaving PocketDol Studio, the shoot embodies their reclamation of independence and confidence as an evolving act. As they prepare for a new album era, this pictorial reads as manifesto—a call to adventure for both fans and the group itself, symbolically thumbing a ride into the unknown. “Hitchhiking” becomes a metaphor for artistic risk, the embrace of chance, and the forging of unpredictable new paths

Editor Note: We will update the other “Looks” as they are available.

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