Who is David Avalon? Details about designer behind BTS star j-hope’s custom Grillz for LV’s FW25 fashion show

Korean pop star j-hope of BTS was seen wearing custom-made Grillz at Louis Vuitton’s FW25 fashion show on January 22, 2025. The Grillz was a creation of Shin Ye Gwon, who is known for making customized Grillz for South Korean celebrities. The Korean handmade jewelry maker owns the company, David Avalon, which has previously collaborated with the Korean rappers Kid Milli and JUSTHIS, and the Korean gamer Keria.

David Avalon has also made Grillz, or jewelry worn over one's teeth, for celebrities such as Jennie of the K-pop group BLACKPINK and Yeonjun of TOMORROW X TOGETHER. Along with Grillz, he makes rings, bracelets, necklaces, and more.

BTS star j-hope's Grillz is customized by the brand with yellow gold and diamond detailing. It is stated that the creation has a traditional Korean cuisine ingredient named abalone, which promotes the nation's culture.

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David Avalon describes Grillz as the beginning of his journey

David Avalon, whom The New York Times calls the 'King of Korean Rap Grills,' has shared an Instagram post of j-hope's Grillz on January 22, comprising photos of the dental jewelry, and j-hope showing off his new custom-made piece. The brand has previously shared photos of custom-made Grillz for many other celebrities on Instagram.

David Avalon added a short note on his website, too, stating:

"The beginning of David Avalon is grillz. After numerous trials and errors, we have developed a unique technology that perfectly achieves the three elements of occlusion, fit, and aesthetics. Meet the special custom grillz that you can only experience at David Avalon."

Shin Ye Gwon started this journey making teeth molds and soon passion turned his into business. The Seoul-born jewelry maker is a fan of hip-hop culture, which pushed him to collaborate with Korean rap artists.

He started studying jewelry design at the Busan Institute of Science and Technology, and later joined a jewelry maker to increase his knowledge of Grillz. Shin Ye Gwon started by making molds of his own teeth to find the right thickness that wouldn't discomfort rappers while singing, to arrive at the perfect technique to make one.

The name David Avalon comes from his love for the name David. His mom encouraged him to be the biblical David, the former king of Israel. The word Avalon is inspired by abalone, the mother of pearl shell he uses in his jewelry.

David Avalon's website also sells jewelry along with custom-made inquiries, through which customers can place their orders. The readymade jewelry, which includes a ring, bracelet, necklace, and earrings, starts from $155 for silver earrings and goes up to $19,277.87 for a pendant.

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Along with Grillz, David Avalon has also made a custom-made white gold and diamond necklace for Lisa of BLACKPINK, which is reported to have 400+ diamonds and is believed to be his most expensive creation yet.