MUSIC'S IMPACT

Music and fashion have long gone hand in hand. Like most creative industries, they find innovative ways of gaining commercial success through collaboration. The soundtrack chosen to accompany a runway show has the ability to convey the designer's aesthetic in ways a silent show could not. The musical selection also has the power to reel in media attention and new fans. Lady Gaga premiered her song "Bad Romance" at Alexander McQueen's Spring/Summer 2010 show, which urged an overwhelming amount of people to log onto SHOWstudio, where they could live stream the collection. A few months later, the music video for "Bad Romance" came out, featuring Lady Gaga in an array of McQueen designs from the very same collection. This sort of merging of the two worlds commanded the world's attention and launched Lady Gaga's stardom to new heights. Likewise, Alexander Wang has used up & coming internet sensations such as Die Antwoord and Azealia Banks in his T by Alexander Wang campaigns, which has helped both the artists featured, as well as Wang in being recognized beyond their industry.
This, however, is more of a marketing strategy than a creative influence. Since it's popularization, fashion has been somewhat dependent on music for inspiration. The Metropolitan Museum of Art's latest costume institute exhibition, "PUNK: Chaos to Couture," is living proof of music's predominant force. The exhibit features punk-inspired garments by Commes Des Garçons, Karl Lagerfeld and Riccardo Tisci, Yohji Yamamoto and Vivienne Westwood, amongst many other talented designers. Punk icons include Debbie Harry of Blondie, Siouxsie Sioux of Siouxsie & The Banshees and Patti Smith, who all had easily recognizable aesthetics. Millions of girls were impacted by these women and adopted Harry's peroxide blonde hair, ripped t-shirts and mix-match pattern choices, Sioux's goth-punk look and Smith's androgynous wardrobe.

John Lyndon and Gary Wilson's impact on high fashion. (Commes Des Garcons Autumn/Winter 2006-7 & Maison Margiela Spring/Summer 2011.)

With the rise of disco in the late 1970s, Diana Ross made sequined dresses, big hair and effortless glamour a most desirable look. Madonna burst onto the scene in the 1980s and brought with her an abundance of bandannas, rubber bracelets, mix-matched tights and rosary beads, forever changing women's street style. The 1990s saw anti- fashion icon Kurt Cobain popularize grunge fashions such as ripped jeans, ripped sweaters, converse and Dr. Martens boots. Belly tops and sneakers were brought back into the spotlight in the early 2000s with the help of Britney Spears.

Music fashion through the decades. L to R: Diana Ross, Madonna, Kurt Cobain, Britney Spears.

In high fashion, perhaps the best example of music's impact is Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring/Summer 2013 collection, in which he drew inspiration from 80s popstars such as Grace Jones, Madonna, David Bowie, Boy George. Since being appointed creative director of Saint Laurent Paris, Hedi Slimane has launched the Saint Laurent Music Project campaigns, depicting a number of rock stars styling themselves in the label's collections. Marilyn Manson, Courtney Love and Daft Punk have all been featured so far, but the list grows by the season. In addition, Slimane's Fall/Winter 2013 collection for the brand was admittedly inspired by the 90s California grunge scene.

Grace Jones' influence on fashion, seen though Jean Paul Gaultier's Spring/Summer 2013 collection.

Marilyn Manson and Courtney Love's campaigns for Saint Laurent.

Who are your favorite musical fashion icons? Let me know by commenting below!