When Music Meets Fashion
Custom sound systems, listening rooms and curated music: luxury retail brands are embracing music
It’s heartening to see the number of cutting-edge, luxury retail brands placing an emphasis on music - from installing high-end, custom sound systems in flagship stores and hosting DJ sets, to referencing music culture and technology in fashion week presentations, runway shows and across brand campaigns.
Inspired by Japanese kissas and the increased presence of listening bars in major cities, aspirational fashion brands have savvily noted that it’s about more than just buying clothes; customers are buying a lifestyle.
Leading the way is Aimé Leon Dore, which puts forward a deep appreciation for music with its statement audio spaces in London and New York; guest DJs; and unexpected track selections in social media videos. At Paris Fashion Week, we’ve seen big-hitters like Adidas - with their collaboration with SNS - and Stone Island, as well as emerging brands like Vowels and KidSuper, all put the spotlight on sound systems, creating spaces that bridge the gap between fashion and music.
Over in New York, furniture brand USM Modular Furniture has seen how music can augment a retail space, installing an impressive custom sound system and listening room designed by Devon Turnbull and his company OJAS, the creator of 180 Studios’ Listening Rooms - who was first championed by the late, visionary Virgil Abloh. Luxury streetwear brand Supreme has also brought in Turnbull to build their custom systems.
Fashion brands are realising that music is central to a depiction of a life well lived. Seeing that music is an important way of connecting brand and customer, brands at the vanguard of style are using music in a bold and interesting way to provide a deeper lifestyle experience for their clientele - creating a community of likeminded people who may well become customers.
Playlister has soundtracked the LFW shows for ROKSANDA for more than a decade, as well as for brands including Vivienne Westwood; while we also provide background music for premium Australian clothing brand Venroy’s stores and curate bespoke, themed playlists to accompany their new collections. With a deep understanding of music and brand identity, we use the power of music to help brands harmonise with their audience.