From the hallway to the runway, music influences the choices we make within the fashion world. Whether it be personal taste, or an atmospheric shift of a runway show, a simple tune can alter the perception of a look.

In certain cases, genres of music are commonly associated with specific style choices— this can be seen within many fashion communities, one of the most notable being the goth community. There are many subgenres of goth, most involving a dark, ethereal rock music feel. Overall, the genre is associated with the goth style of fashion, noted for its dark color schemes and intense makeup looks. But what happens when this gothic look is paired with classical-esque music? What emotion is evoked when that piano melody is suddenly overrun by a techno tune?

The display of the Versace Spring-Summer 2023 Women’s Collection does exactly this, subverting the foundations of style and aesthetics. Nuanced within a light piano and deep melodic techno music, goth becomes reinvented. Present in the collection was a diverse set of interpretations of the goth style, from sheer fabrics to unique layering choices, every look challenged one another in the same way the music did. At first, the harmony seemed to collide with the dark looks, but as the show continued, the music added a new-age electronic feel to the traditional gothic sound, elevating the depth of each look.

In contrast, the Valentino “Un Château” Fall-Winter 2023 Collection presents their theme with a more direct approach, implementing classical orchestral pieces to back the breathtaking views of the runway at the Château de Chantilly. Their intention for this collection was to return fashion to its purest form through a sense of simplicity. A number of looks were monochrome, and there was a repeated use of the same diamond chandelier earrings. Their choice of music, however, makes the ensemble feel more grand, developing a thought-provoking effect of each look on its viewers.

After observing the music choices of countless runway shows, I found that music is often used as a means to shock the audience through creating the feel of an abstract performance. By contrasting a variety of looks with intentional music choices, the catwalk stages a new form of performance art. To challenge contemporary taste in fashion, runway provides vivid depictions of clashing ideas through paradoxical applications of music.

Shifting to an alternative perspective, these parallels and paradoxes can also be seen off the runway where people’s music taste intersects with their fashion taste. Music opens up new opportunities for people to interpret personal taste. The seemingly simple choices we make each morning on what to wear have a number of key influences; from weather to mood to activity, our surroundings play a large role in how we choose to dress for the day. Where the music and fashion in everyday life collide can be seen in themes of our closets and the organization of our playlists.

Many music communities have a certain style attached to them, making their fashion choices representative of their music taste. The goth culture presented in the Versace show is more commonly seen on a local level. The raw taste of goth is often described within the goth community as messy, bold, and unconventional – challenging contemporary fashion ideals. This is additionally reflected in modern gothic music exhibiting loud instrumentals and vocals that aren’t commonly heard on mainstream radio.

Fashion choices that are often considered “radical” have been around for decades. Looking back one-hundred years to the 1920s, exciting jazz music and the flapper dresses were the cat’s meow. Young people were often seen sporting scandalous tassel dresses and fitted vests when dancing to the new kind of jazz. Traveling across the world to the Philippines, the rhythmic taps of bamboo sticks and the captivating flows of long skirts and scarves can be seen when watching the traditional dance known as Tinikling.

When looking through a more recent lens, people often develop their taste in fashion through their music taste and vice versa – whether that be subconsciously or not. Pastel clothing is often associated with indie pop whereas flannels and ripped jeans are associated with rock alternative. Even the addition of headphones to an outfit can be considered a fashion choice made with the influence of music.

Most genres of music can be seen in people’s unique sense of style. The two are different methods of art, reflecting on one another to create harmony between the communities. Fashion shows may be a more mainstream manifestation of this balancing act, but anything can be a runway – a hallway, a path on the way to class, even the sidewalk. Fashion expression exists on all levels, and it is all tied together by the little choices we make everyday, especially in the tunes we choose to play when walking down the runways of life. Music has always played an influential role in fashion, you just have to listen a little closer to notice it.

Reach column writer Makayla Dino at musemediauw@gmail.com
Instagram @makrrd