There are a lot of fashion trends that emerge and, sometimes, people don’t even know where they come from. One of the main sources of popular fashion is music. Musicians have, and have always had, a massive influence on the newest fashion trends. This connection makes perfect sense; fashion is a form of self- expression, an art form,  just like music. Fashion is inspired by individuality, politics, and personal beliefs, and the same goes for music. It is not surprising that there has always been a strong connection between the two.

The most popular artists of the decades are the biggest trendsetters. The Sixties brought us Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the Rolling Stones, and the Beatles. People started to get mop-tops like the Beatles, sleeveless high neck gowns and low heels like the Supremes, and turtlenecks like Marvin Gaye. The Nineties was a hip-hop dominated era, but there are elements from all genres of music that continue to live on today. There were artists like Jay-Z, Queen Latifah, Snoop Dogg, Lauryn Hill, Kurt Cobain (Nirvana), Eddie Vedder (Pearl Jam), Marilyn Manson, and so many more. All of them helped to create timeless looks that we still see everywhere today. A lot of the trends and and brands big in the Nineties are coming back now.  Companies like Guess and Tommy Hilfiger are making a huge comeback. So many people are trying to get the Tommy Hilfiger underwear and overalls that they’ve seen Aaliyah and TLC wearing. Now everywhere you look you see a box logo or ‘A Bathing Ape’ on a tee shirt. Gucci released their line of fanny packs last year. In the spring of 2017, A$AP Rocky was seen wearing a red Supreme fanny pack across his back with a black blazer, black trousers, and Fendi loafers.

The companies that create the clothes get even more attention when artists go to big events like the Grammys and the Met Gala. For example, everyone wanted to know who designed Rihanna’s dress that she wore to the 2017 Met Gala (it was Comme des Garcon, a high end brand). Companies like Bape, Supreme, and Kaws emerged around this time too; these brands are some of the leading brands in the music community. They are making tons of money on the advertising they are getting from the artists. You can find pictures of Kanye West in Bape, and A$AP Rocky made a whole song about Raf Simons. The whole music video consisted of the him and his friends wearing full outfits of Raf Simons apparel. Some artists, such as Kanye West with Yeezy,  have even started their own lucrative clothing companies.

The bottom line is that people will wear what they see their favorite artists wearing, even if the clothing is expensive and has holes. The clothes may be casual and comfortable, but they often have a crazy high price. Beyonce once wore a Vogue tee shirt and Off-White Air Jordan 1’s, and the sneakers alone cost over a thousand dollars. But for many people, the concept is simple: if Beyonce wears it, they have to have it.