Fashion and music have always been a partnership, with musicians using fashion to create a persona and designers using music to set the mood at runway shows. It's certainly not a new concept but it is worth noting that the fashion-music entanglement has never been more apparent than this past March, when Kanye West graced the cover of the almighty
Vogue just weeks before Rihanna was announced as the 2014 CFDA Fashion Icon of the Year.
Fashion writers worldwide debated whether or not either one of these musicians were legitimate "fashion" choices. But the truth is, just as much as "Blue Suede Shoes" and "F*** Me Pumps" inspire songs, the singers themselves have always inspired fashion. David Bowie, for instance, doesn't just sing "Fashion," David Bowie
is fashion. The originality in his designer costumes have spawned countless Bowie-inspired runway collections (see
DVF Fall 2013,
Jean Paul Gaultier Spring 2011, etc.).
The point is, fashion people love music and music people love fashion. We are all united through the desire to express oneself through art, so a music festival can never really just be about music. According to Newton's laws of physics, or at least according to the made up laws in my head, it will always be a parade of peacocking fashionistas who were born to date drummers and inspire trends. A trend in motion stays in motion, or something like that.
Anyway, here is a retrospective look on music festivals and the fashion movements they have inspired...
Maybe you've heard of a little concert called Woodstock? The '69 festival touting "Peace & Music" left it's mark in fashion with its rebellious, carefree bohemian styles. And also for a whole lot of nudity. So you know, clothing is optional for this look, but if you want to cover up, loose layers, fringe, and bohemian prints strike the perfect chord.
And then there was Live Aid, the massive same-day, dual-continental fundraiser that housed pretty much all of the most massive musical acts of 1985. Style-wise, this was a far cry from Woodstock. Government officials, including the royal family, were in attendance meaning a more laced up vibe overall. Nonetheless, it was the mid-80s so graphic prints, candy colored blazers, and over accessorizing still reigned supreme.
And as a child of the 90s, my personal favorite- Lollapalooza. Originally created as a farewell tour for Jane's Addiction, it has since warped into a 2-3 day festival that has exposed some of the biggest names in rock music. This look is garage band grunge all the way. A little dark and moody, a little thrift store charm, and a whole lot of DGAF.
It could be said that South by Southwest is the thinking man's festival. Starting off small in 1987, it has since grown to a music, film, and interactive event popular with hipsters everywhere. As well as the standard festival fashion fare, SXSW-goers are often seen in quirky prints, modest silhouettes, and all things vintage.
The Miami-based EDM festival, Ultra, brings out the loudest looks on the list. If a toddler took molly and dressed you up in its rainbow pony dreams, you would basically be all set for Ultra. Light up neons, sparkle unicorns, fur boots, and stacks and stacks of beaded bracelets are the norm. You can incorporate elements of this look into your style through playful graphics and prints, childlike accessories, and hologram accents.
And the pièce de résistance, one of the largest, most famous, and most profitable music festivals in the United States- Coachella. With countless celebrities flocking to the festival, fashion magazines and blogs cover Coachella like it's Fashion Week's rebellious sister. And the style is the ultimate mash-up. If you took pieces from each of the previous festival looks and put them all on together, you would basically be right on trend for Coachella.
And Columbus fashion and music lovers have something to be really excited about this month with the most buzzed about festival event this city has seen yet!
Labor Day Weekend, August 29-31
Arena District and Short North, Columbus
The nations largest fusion of fashion and music, FMMF will host over 120 musical acts including NGHBRS, Cold War Kids and Local Natives, to name a few, and a slew of runway shows, most notably for us, an AFM exclusive show as well as private collections by many of the AFW designers.
See you all there!
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