Paris, where the 2027 spring-summer menswear collections have just opened. The moment CORTIS appeared in front of the Saint Laurent and Dior show venues, the street erupted in a thunderous roar. The fervor of fans chanting the names Martin, James, Juhoon, Sunghyun, and Gunho was so intense it rivaled the arrival of global stars. Though they were newcomers attending Paris Fashion Week for the first time, the five members instantly seized the gaze of the high-fashion world and the flashes of the media. As global ambassadors for luxury fashion houses taking their first steps onto the fashion stage, the day was recorded as the moment that announced to the world the birth of a new style icon for the next generation.
At the Saint Laurent show, Martin and James asserted their presence in different ways within the sensual, sharp masculinity creative director Anthony Vaccarello has built. Martin, wearing an oversized navy suit with no shirt and black sunglasses, showcased minimalism in a long and slim silhouette that highlighted his tall frame. James paired a white striped shirt with a black cable knit and trousers for an intelligent, restrained style. These super rookies exuded such composure and charisma that it was hard to believe they were born in 2005 and 2008, becoming the protagonists of the Saint Laurent show.
At the Dior show, Juhoon, Sunghyun, and Gunho presented another side of CORTIS's style in a more delicate and flexible direction. Dior Men under Jonathan Anderson, while respecting the house's heritage, is rewriting the boundaries of traditional menswear through youthful sensibilities, unexpected proportions, and playful details. With precise tailoring and restrained colors, the three members kept their individual moods, earning praise from major fashion media for proving that classic clothes do not have to be solemn.
It was somewhat predictable that luxury fashion houses like Dior and Saint Laurent would rush to focus on CORTIS. Along with musicality and dance skills, they are the most distinctively well-dressed among the next-generation K-pop boy groups poised to follow BTS. CORTIS maintains group cohesion on and off stage while showing different styles according to each member's body type and taste.
The appeal of the CORTIS style, like their music, is hard to define in a single word. CORTIS reinterprets skate punk, 1990s grunge, and the rebellious youth culture of the early 2000s through today's K-pop grammar. On stage, they boldly combine ripped knits, graphic T-shirts, tartan checks, studded belts, and low-rise pants. Day to day, they mix hoodies, track jackets, vintage denim, and cargo pants freely for an effortless look.
First, Martin, born in 2008 and 190 centimeters tall—and possibly still growing—is the central axis of CORTIS fashion. When he takes the stage with a long, slim silhouette and wild, bright-colored hair, he looks like a 1990s alternative rock star reborn for this era. Rather than piling on accessories, he draws the eye with a model-like silhouette through weathered-looking materials and extreme proportions.
In everyday life, Martin expresses the rebellious look from the stage in a much looser way. Using relaxed trousers, sleeveless T-shirts, worn graphic tops, and hoodies as a base, he always leaves an unexpected detail somewhere—like a rough print or an irregular hem. This style connects well with his image as a creator who directly participates in music and video production, and as a musician.
James is regarded as the member who most immediately conveys CORTIS's punk identity. On stage, he favors racing jackets and bomber jackets, checks, and cargo pants. Short outerwear that doesn't restrict movement and low-slung pants emphasize the dynamism of performance and evoke vintage sportswear and skateboard culture. Off stage, his personal taste stands out even more clearly than on stage. Based on vintage and skater punk, he freely combines varsity jackets (Varsity Jacket, a casual jacket featuring contrast sleeves and patches originating from U.S. high school and college sports team uniforms), flannel shirts, character T-shirts, and sweatpants.
Juhoon's fashion offers the most intriguing contrasts among the CORTIS members. On stage, he pulls off grunge's signature rough layering with hoodies, ripped cargo pants, low-slung belts, vests, and hats. It's a mix-and-match of slouchy and slim, a style that moves between boyish imagery and rock chic. In an interview with GQ Japan, he said that while oversized silhouettes are trending, he is interested in Hedi Slimane's skinny silhouette and has personally purchased vintage skinny jeans. In his everyday style, he chooses familiar items like checked shirts, washed denim, sneakers, and caps, creating distinction through fit.
Sunghyun is the member who adds color and softness to CORTIS's raw wildness. On stage, he chooses items with clear visual impact, such as outerwear with strong color accents and wide denim. He also layers different materials in multiple tiers. While other members express defiance with black and vintage washes, Sunghyun channels a more optimistic, playful energy through color and volume. He provides balance so CORTIS's punk does not remain only a dark, aggressive image.
Gunho tempers the overall look with a neat face while wearing elements drawn from skate and grunge culture, such as check jackets and wide pants, a backward-worn baseball cap, and destroyed details. It's an image where the wild chic of alternative rock, the vintage sensibility of indie bands, and the genderless aesthetics of K-pop idols intersect in a curious way.
CORTIS is all the more compelling because they seem to have collaborated across every rebellious youth style from the 1990s to today and remade it as this era's edition. That is why they captivate every generation, from Generation X (born 1965–80) to Generation Z (born 1997–2010) and Generation Alpha (born 2011 and later). Above all, their style is even more attractive because it sits in the midst of youth that is not yet complete. CORTIS has far more to show than what they have shown so far. How much more they will thrill fans of CORTIS around the world remains to be seen; their future is limitless.