Fashion designers often find muses in socialites, actors and of course, musicians. Crafting a unique and distinctive appearance can become inseparable from an artist and their music if the partnership is just right. Sometimes that creates lifelong friendships à la Halston and Liza Minnelli. Sometimes a look catapults both the designer and star into another stratosphere, as happened with Jean Paul Gaultier and Madonna when she wore the French designer’s instantly recognizable cone bra that simultaneously redefined their images at the time.
A decade music and fashion became incredibly intertwined was during the punk movement of the 1970s, when sound and style worked in tandem to transform the era. The Sex Pistols were catalysts of the anti-establishment attitude that captured the zeitgeist — and so was the designer integral to the band’s bad-boy image, Vivienne Westwood. The late, great, grand dame of punk fashion opened her landmark Sex boutique in 1974 with her then-partner, Malcolm McLaren, who was the band’s manager. Her shop’s style was all about distressed designs, biker jackets, zippers and graphic tees, all of which would go on to define the style of the punk movement. Her most memorable design was the “God Save the Queen” T-shirt featuring a safety pin across Queen Elizabeth II’s face. The piece served as art for The Sex Pistols’ single by the same name and is still used on graphic tees today.
On the other side of the pop culture spectrum, the ‘70s also brought out the greatest hits between designer Bob Mackie and superstar Cher. The pair first met on the set of The Carol Burnett Show in 1967 and went on to collaborate on looks for the Sonny and Cher Show as well as several of the star’s head-turning Oscars gowns and most iconic red carpet moments, including the feathered and sequin “naked” dress she wore to the 1974 Met Gala (the showstopper also landed on the cover of TIME). Mackie’s glitzy showgirl creations were shocking and scandalous, and in bold and fearless Cher he found the perfect muse.
Another star who was unapologetic about her image was Madonna. As her looks evolved with each stage of her career, she met her match with French designer Jean Paul Gaultier and his iconic cone bra. The Queen of Pop first wore the pointed bustier in 1990 on her Blonde Ambition tour and consistently revisited the style staple throughout her career — she’s even bringing it back for her world tour this year. The cone bra went down in history as one of the greatest looks for both Gaultier and Madonna, amplifying their fame and images.
When hip-hop emerged onto the scene, fashion and music intertwined in a different way. The style was heavily concentrated on customization with an emphasis on popular luxury brands—and nothing was more coveted than a custom creation by Dapper Dan. He was a streetwear pioneer who rose to fame after opening a boutique in Harlem in 1982 and dressing Bobby Brown, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane and Salt-N-Pepa. Dan would remix high-end monogrammed materials from Fendi, MCM, Louis Vuitton and Gucci into his one-of-a-kind looks. Although his appropriation of the trademarked fabrications and logos led to litigation, he was eventually celebrated for bringing high fashion to the genre and he even went on to partner with luxury brands, including Gucci in 2017.
Hip-hop stars became fashion moguls in their own right, building empires like Sean John by Diddy and Phat Fashions by Def Jam Recordings co-founder Russell Simmons. These lines put hip-hop on par with respected fashion houses by snagging spots at New York Fashion Week and accolades, such as when Diddy won the CFDA Award for Menswear Designer of the Year in 2004. Today, it’s commonplace for musicians to create their own labels, but pioneers in the ‘90s and early aughts set the stage, so to speak.
Cut to Beyoncé teaming with adidas and Rihanna for Puma. Both performers also created their own mega-brands, Ivy Park and Fenty, respectively. In 2019, Rihanna became the first woman and person of color to launch a luxury label with LVMH with Fenty.
There are some brands that had musicians connected with their images from the start. Take Versace, for example. From Gianni Versace’s launch of the label in 1978 to his sister Donatella’s reign today, the brand has been beloved by rockers, rappers, and pop stars alike. The biggest names in music — Elton John, Prince, Courtney Love, Madonna, Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Missy Elliott, Lady Gaga — have all starred in the house’s brand campaigns.
From Dior Homme to Saint Laurent and Celine, the French photographer and couturier Hedi Slimane has continued to show his love for musicians across his tenures at fashion houses. The multihyphenate kickstarted the “Saint Laurent Music Project” to pay homage to the house’s everlasting relationship with rock icons. He recreated the looks Yves Saint Laurent made for Mick and Bianca Jagger’s St. Tropez wedding in May 1971.Throughout the project, Slimane photographed Courtney Love, Kim Gordon, Chuck Berry, Marianne Faithful and folk legend Joni Mitchell. Now that Slimane has moved on to helm Celine, he remains committed to the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle, tapping none other than folk-rock icon Bob Dylan to lead its newest campaign.
Other designers finding muses in musicians include Alessandro Michele, who just left his creative director role at Gucci. While at the label, he collaborated with Harry Styles on his own capsule, dubbed HA HA HA. Louis Vuitton also recognized the benefits of putting a beloved musician at the helm. In February, the fashion house announced that musician Pharrell Williams would take the reins as its new creative director of menswear.
A harmonious chord is struck when a musical artist meets a designer that creates looks that synergistically pleases both the eyes and ears. And when done right, both the designer and star amplify one another to new heights. When fashion and music collide, magic happens.
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