Influence of Music on the Apparel Industry

The relationship between music and the apparel industry is known to all. The unique apparel worn by artists in their music videos often becomes the talk of the fashion industry and usually becomes a trendsetter that lasts for a long time. The give & take relationship between the two industries has given us some of the most dynamic visuals in history. It’s impossible to imagine a world where music and fashion are not a form of self-expression and creativity.

Celebrities Endorsing Brands and Designers

The collaboration of music celebrities and designers has resulted in the alteration of the course of fashion. Who doesn’t remember the collaboration of Grace Jones and Jean-Paul Goude? Thanks to Goude, Grace Jones’s haircut became a major trend during the 1980s. It was known as the “high-top” when copied by the youth. Grace Jones acted as a muse for creative designers. His fashion became the reference point for widespread interpretations. In 1986, Run D.M.C.’s hit song “My Adidas” had a huge effect on the sales of the company and this resulted in Adidas giving 1.5 Million Dollars for endorsing their brand. Coming back to the 21^st Century, it is difficult to find any popular musical artist without a brand deal or endorsement. Musicians like Rihanna, Billie Eilish, Pharrel Williams, Drake, and Kanye West are popular for their sense of fashion. Pharrell Williams has worked with many brands such as Chanel, Adidas, Bape, and more.

Artists Forming Their Brands

Many musical artists have formed their brands. The famous rapper, Kanye West, owns Yeezy, a brand that has impacted and brought streetwear to what we know of it today. Billie Eilish is another example of a popular musician who has formed her brand. She has created her idea of style. She has many followers and all of them love to wear her neon-coloured beanies and shirts.  Rihanna too has her brand called Fenty Beauty. All these musical artists have followings in millions. Their fans are ever ready to wear and go around in the clothes which were designed by the brands owned by their favourite celebrities. This in turn forms a trend and thus, directly affects the apparel industry as a whole. 

The Rap Effect

Even though other music genres affect the apparel industry, the fact that the rap community has the largest effect can’t be denied. The rap industry started developing in a different way when the rap collective Odd Future dropped their album, The OF Tape, Vol. 2. Being among one of the first groups that emerged out of the social media era, their music became an instant hit because they represented the emerging counter-cultures like skate, surf, and hip-hop. However, their style was very different from the gold chains and the designer labels which were flaunted by the rappers in the 80s and 90s. Their West Coast style microculture was turned into a full-scale streetwear revolution. That’s one of the ways that the rap industry has affected the apparel industry.

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It’s not only music influencing the apparel industry, the apparel industry influences the music industry just the same. They affect each other because they are entangled in a continuous cycle where one follows the other. Both industries benefit from each other. They have a timeless synergy and they serve as the indicators of the society- how the society feels and thinks. The various followers of music select styles that match their taste in music. And the followers of fashion select music which suits their style. It’s vice versa. The relationship between the two is undeniable.