When Karl Lagerfeld and Jeremy Scott agree on a trendsetter, fashion takes note. The latest beauty who’s turning their heads? Lee Chae-rin, aka CL, from the Korean pop supergroup 2NE1. Where other girl groups (Korean and otherwise) offered sweetness and light, 2NE1 (along with fellow fashion-conscious pop star G-Dragon and his group, Big Bang) focused on swagger, and in the process helped to usher in K-Pop’s hip-hop wave. A rapper, singer, and songwriter, CL served as both 2NE1’s most prominent member and the embodiment of its edgy, genre-defying image until signing with Scooter Braun—the driving force behind acts like Justin Bieber and Ariana Grande—and breaking out as a solo act.

Dubbed “The Baddest Female” by fans after the title of her 2013 number one hit, CL has since risen to become one of Asia’s biggest stars. With an ardent following—more than 3 million on Instagram alone—CL wields major influence, especially in Asia, where she’s walked the catwalk for DKNY’s 25th-anniversary show, collaborated with luxury accessories boutique On Pedder, and become one of the regional faces of Maybelline. Whether she’s sitting front row at shows like Chanel and Moschino or stepping out in designs from cutting-edge labels like Vetements and Hood By Air, CL never fails to make a statement with her wardrobe. Favoring hip-hop-influenced pieces and absurdist accessories, CL is equally at home in Scott’s eccentric, teddy bear–covered minidresses as she is in shredded jeans and a T-shirt, making for a look that is part streetwise girl-next-door, part larger-than-life rock star.

With a rumored solo album scheduled to drop any minute now (as well as a possible reunion with 2NE1) and music insiders like Diplo and Katy Perry now singing her praises, there’s no better time to get to know this crossover star. Check out her most daring outfits to date—and find out why she has everyone buzzing.