It comes as no surprise that music and fashion go
hand-in-hand. Among the countless designers that have clothed our favorite
artists over the years for award shows and high-profile tours, there have also been
many designers that have been inspired by music itself. Designers in the 1970 and 1990s who enjoyed
the rebelliousness of the counterculture used that to make their designs stand
out. Other designers live for music in the same way that musicians or fans do.
Even musicians have gotten in to fashion, bringing their on-stage style to the
runway.
As New York Fashion Week makes its return for its Spring/Summer
2017 season this week, Vinyl Bay 777, Long Island’s top music outlet, is taking
a look at the intersection of music and fashion. Here are seven designers who
have made music one of their top inspirations.
1.
John Varvados: Varvados has probably been one of
the most vocally music-conscious designers of the last ten years. He has cast
many musicians as spokespeople for the brand, including Green Day, Hosier, Iggy
Pop, Alice Cooper and Velvet Revolver, just to name a few. His menswear lines
are filled with stylized leather jackets, tees, boots and more. Varvados also
has his own label, partnering with Republic Records, where he signs artists he
wishes to promote. If that wasn’t enough, his New York flagship store is in the
old CBGBs building. The music connections run deep with this one.
2.
Vivienne Westwood: It would be sacrilege to not
mention Vivienne Westwood on a list of music-influenced fashion designers. She
was a big part of creating punk fashion, dressing the Sex Pistols for the two
years they were together. From her days working with Malcolm McLaren at their
London shop Let It Rock (which was later renamed to Sex), Westwood has been
pushing the envelope of style, and continues to push it long after punk became
mainstream. Her early style is even influencing style today. For proof, look no
further than Pharrell Williams’ “Buffalo Girls” hat at the 2014 Grammy Awards.
3.
Marc Jacobs: From the early 1990s, Marc Jacobs
was at the forefront of off-the-beaten-path music fashion. He was instrumental
in bringing grunge style to the masses in 1992 for Perry Ellis, making the
cheap clothing of the era over into high-quality haute-couture. Jacobs has been
working with musicians ever since, from Kanye West to Miley Cyrus. In 2016, he
put together a music video with director Hype Williams to play during his
runway show that fall. The video starred the likes of musicians Missy Elliot,
Courtney Love, Marilyn Manson, and St. Vincent, as well as actors like Cara Delevingne
and Susan Sarandon. He was even one of the first designers to work with Apple
Music on their fashion music channel.
4.
Tommy Hilfiger: Though his work really caught on
with the hip hop community in the 1990s, Hilfiger’s roots in music go further.
A musician himself, he made it a point to sponsor
big name artists like The Rolling Stones. When hip hop embraced him, he
embraced the culture right back, putting artists like Aaliyah and Usher in his
ads and dressing Snoop Dogg for ‘Saturday Night Live.’ Hilfiger is still a
popular brand with artists like Rihanna, particularly the retro designs that
mimic his 90s creations.
5.
Alexander Wang: Wang has said
that his love for hip hop inspired his style as a youth. Now, he continues to get
inspiration from music as a designer. He was THE first designer Apple tapped
for their fashion music channel. Not to mention Wang also put together a music
video-like ad for his 2016 line, which included an unheard Skrillex track and
featured what looked like some pretty punk-inspired threads.
6.
Kanye West: The first of two musicians I’m
mentioning here. Kanye West has been dabbling in fashion for almost ten years
now. He is up to season five of his Yeezy collection, which will be showing at
this year’s New York Fashion Week. His fashion has been closely associated with
his music and an extension of his brand, designing many of the outfits he would
wear in his music videos and on stage.
7.
Gwen Stefani: The other musician I’m mentioning
is Gwen Stefani. Her line, L.A.M.B. was created as an extension of her on-stage
style. She started the line in 2003, around the same time she went solo and
released ‘Love. Angel. Music. Baby.’ Inspired by Japanese Harajuku, among other
things, L.A.M.B. is an eclectic line that has evolved to accentuate Stefani’s
ever-changing style on and off stage.
These seven designers prove that music and fashion work well
together. From the counterculture to the mainstream, music has been inspiring
fashion and designers for decades. With New York Fashion Week starting
tomorrow, it will be interesting to see which designers find inspiration in
music.
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artists and more at Vinyl Bay 777 and vinylbay777.com, Long Island’s top new
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ones being added all the time. Browse our wide selection of new and used vinyl
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