WINTER HITS: SONG OF STYLE

Words: Kirsten Jacobs | Images: Getty

For the upcoming winter season, our latest campaign is all about exploring the relationship between music and fashion. Music and fashion have been intertwined for centuries. With the expansion of music and technology in the 50s and onwards, stars like Elvis Presley, Michael Jackson, Madonna and The Beatles became the new cultural icons.

Music blurred the boundaries of the world, giving a new way for people to define themselves. As fans turned their gaze to album covers, music videos and live performances, fashion became an inescapable part of the musical experience.

We’re serving up playlists with serious style. From rock and country to rap and pop, find your favourite genre below to inspire your next fashionable fit.

Stars like Cassper Nyovest, Nicki Minjaj, Kanye West and 2PAC are icons in this popular genre. Rap/hip-hop was developed by inner-city African Americans and Latino Americans in New York City in the 1970s and has since spread all over the globe.

Rap or hip-hop has become synonymous with casual street style and sportswear thanks to the legends in this genre and their music video fashion. Run DMC made Adidas famous worldwide with their 1986 track ‘My Adidas’, and stars like Drake, Kanye West, Rihanna and Travis Scott continue to rep the biggest sportswear brands out there.

On album covers and in music videos, they bring high-end fashion to the everyday, pairing luxury name brands like Gucci or Louis Vuitton with relaxed silhouettes like sweats and oversized tees. Feel like the star of your own hip hop music video in baggy jeans, athleisure, conspicuous name brands, statement sneakers and bucket hats.

With its origins in the late 1940s, rock music has morphed from its country + blues inspirations into a new sound characterised by electric guitars, steady drumbeats and edgy lyrics.

Much like top rock stars KISS, Green Day and Red Hot Chilli Peppers, this genre is bold and unapologetic. For these rock legends, the devil is in the details. It’s rare to find a rocker who doesn’t love leather and loud accessories like top hats, studs and chain detail.

Channel this energy using leather, lace, velvet, mixed metals, and layers and layers of jewellery. Complete the look with a pair of statement boots and you’re ready to rock.

Born in Tennessee in the 1920s, country music beautifully blends string instruments like banjos, acoustic guitars and harmonicas together to create an All-American sound. Country music has a small yet strong fanbase in South Africa, with top artists like Kasey Musgraves, Dan + Shay and Little Big Town leading the way.

Country artists have traditionally favoured function over form, evident in their love for denim and, of course, the famous cowboy hat and boots. However, today’s top artists are having a lot more fun with their fashion by taking this basic wardrobe and elevating it with rhinestone detail and bold pops of colour.

Take inspiration from your favourite Country bop and dress up your denim with fringe and appliqué detail. Pair a flouncy dress or skirt with cowboy boots for that sweet yet sassy juxtaposition.

A dance-worthy beat plus a catchy melody and easy-to0remember lyrics = a pop masterpiece. Pop music as we know it originated in the 1950s, borrowing elements of jazz, rock and blues to produce a more commercial song that can appeal to the masses.

Pop stars are some of the most remarkable trend setters in the fashion industry. Just think of how Madonna dominated the 80s, influencing women the world over to invest in lace gloves, pearl necklaces and tulle skirts.

Pop stars tend to have their own unique style, from Katy Perry’s quirky-meets-camp looks, Ariana Grande’s love of oversized sweaters and thigh-highs to the K-Pop favourite: knitted vests layered over button-ups.

The biggest artists in pop music tend to dress larger than life, styling bright colours and form-fitting silhouettes with unique accessories borrowed straight from the most famous runways. Steal their style by playing with statement patterns, cut-out detail and explosions of colour.