Fashion Labels Create Their Own Soundtrack, Financial Times

FT.com / Style - Fashion labels create their own soundtrack

07/08/2010 09:07

Breadcrumb

Financial

STYLE FT Home > Arts & Leisure > Style

Fashion labels create their own soundtrack By Lucie Greene Published: August 6 2010 22:01 | Last updated: August 6 2010 22:01

British luxury fashion brand Burberry has already carved out a reputation for dressing rock bands and music stars such as Bryan Ferry, Coco Sumner and One Night Only. Last month, however, it took its music connection one step further with the launch of Burberry Acoustic, an initiative – part record label, part talent scout – dedicated to championing emerging music talents.

FT MONEY GYM

Jobs Try an FTMoney Gym virtual workout to learn more about alternative personal investment strategies. New workouts include spread betting, covered warrants, CFDs and ETFs More

Visit live.burberry.com and you can watch performances from a host of new acts (all clad in Burberry, and hand-picked by the brand’s creative director Christopher Bailey), including singer-songwriter Misty Miller and north London guitar group Ramona. EDITOR’S CHOICE Hip barbershops in Los Angeles - Aug-06 Look your best online - Aug-06 Vintage luggage is back in vogue - Aug-03 Chelsea’s big day - Jul-31 Gladiator sandals for men - Jul31

Perfect pedicures - Jul-31

Burberry is but one of many fashion brands reaching beyond the conventional music-fashion collaboration. While pop stars such as Madonna and Beyoncé still feature in fashion advertising campaigns for certain brands, an increasing number of fashion labels are also hosting live music events, collaborating with music festivals, setting up their own recording arms, and launching interactive music formats in a bid to target youthful and trendy consumers. British lifestyle brand Jack Wills has a following among its collegiate audience for its music events and now even has JW Unsigned, a Jack Wills record label that allows fans to upload their music and review each other’s tunes. The brand hosts regular live performance nights at its London flagship stores and also has an online radio station.

LATEST HEADLINES FROM CNN Thick smoke chokes Moscow At least 33 workers trapped in Chilean mine Paraguay's President Lugo diagnosed with cancer Extreme skier dies on K2 Fidel Castro calls Assembly special session More

“Music is integral to Jack Wills,” says Peter Williams, the company’s chief executive, of its music ventures. “Our core customers are 18- to 21-year-old university students. We’re into whatever they’re into, and music is often a major focus for them. They dictate where the brand goes.” The number of members signed up to Jack Wills’ social network community has reached 180,000, fuelled partly by its music and social media projects. Gucci’s sneaker collaboration with DJ Mark Ronson – who designed a limited-edition range of Gucci shoes last year – is another example of the trend. It included the launch of an iPhone app with curated playlists by Ronson alongside touch-screen mixing decks where fans could create and share their own music tracks. More than 600,000 people have downloaded the app since it launched last year. Then there is Prada, which this month took over jazz club Joe’s Pub in New York to launch its new “swing” music-inspired collection of 1950s eyewear, with Nina Hagen performing live tracks from her album (later a viral video was released for the campaign, created by photographer Steven Meisel and set to the blues song “Fever” performed by singer Katey Judd). French contemporary line APC has even given karaoke a dose of Parisian cool, creating a DVD for Lula Magazine’s pop-up store at Harvey Nichols, featuring backing tracks of tunes such as “Addicted to Love” by Robert Palmer and “Like a Virgin” by Madonna, rearranged and specially recorded by the company at its Paris studio and producer Bill Laswell’s studio in New York. There’s more to follow, too. This September Tommy Hilfiger is celebrating the brand’s silver anniversary with a viral video featuring the new band Locksley. The appeal of live music for luxury brands is its vast scope. In the UK last year fans spent £1.45bn on music concerts, and sales of live music in 2009 surpassed CD sales for the first time, according to the live music website efestivals.co.uk. The Glastonbury music festival has expanded to cater for upwards of 177,000 people in recent years and is one of the most widely followed media events of the summer, while California-based festival Coachella now draws more than 17,000 glamorous youthful attendees, as well as a host of celebrities (all of whom receive ample coverage from the style press).

Jobs

Business for sale

Contracts & tenders

SEARCH Enter keywords Treasurer Investment Company Head of Investment Investment Company Senior Investment Associate Investment Company FX Customer Support/ Client Services Executive Investment Company

RECRUITERS FT.com can deliver talented individuals across all industries around the world Post a job now RELATED SERVICES FT Lexicon FT Bespoke Forums Market research Growth companies Corporate subscriptions Luxury Travel brochures Analyst Research

MBA-Direct.com FT Newspaper subscriptions FT Diaries FT Conferences FT Syndication services The Non-Executive Director

Fashion labels hosted some of the most high-profile parties at Coachella this year, with Diesel

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/975185ac-a0ea-11df-badd-00144feabdc0.html

Page 1 of 2

FT.com / Style - Fashion labels create their own soundtrack

07/08/2010 09:07

taking over a Spanish-style mansion for a house party, attracting screen stars Rosario Dawson and Gossip Girl actor Penn Badgley, and Lacoste hosting a barbecue with Twilight teen star Kristen Stewart, American actress Rachel Bilson and British televsion presenter Alexa Chung as guests. US clothing brand Express went one step further and hired a private home to stage live concerts by Macy Gray and Crystal Method. “Companies are working harder than ever to make sensory and romantic experiences for customers,” says Rita Clifton, director at the brand consultancy Interbrand. “These music projects are a way to engage with their audience while controlling as much of the experience as possible, and making it as branded as possible. They control the music they play at their shows and in their stores. When you think about it, it’s not a big step to start creating their own sound.” .................................................. Details www.burberry.com www.jackwills.com www.jwunsigned.com www.gucci.com www.prada.com www.apc.fr www.tommy.com www.lacoste.co.uk www.express.com www.diesel.com Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2010. You may share using our article tools. Please don't cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Print article

Email article

Clip this article

Order reprints

Twitter

Digg

Yahoo! Buzz

Facebook

stumbleupon

Delicious Viadeo

MORE IN THIS SECTION The Great Stink of 2010 Look your best online Hip barbershops in Los Angeles Vintage luggage is back in vogue Perfect pedicures Gladiator sandals for men Chelsea’s big day The best fashion websites The launch of Mr Porter Mandy à la mode MORE ARTS & WEEKEND Sustainable fashion: what does green mean? The art market: a record-breaking Giacometti Culinary travel special Love, not anger Fireman Hank

FT Home

Site map

Advertise with the FT Partner sites: Chinese FT.com

Media centre

The Mergermarket Group

FT Newspaper subscriptions Investors Chronicle

FT Conferences

Exec-Appointments.com

FT Syndication Money Media

Corporate subscriptions The Banker

FT Group

Help

Careers at the FT

fDi Intelligence MBA-Direct.com The Non-Executive Director

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/2/975185ac-a0ea-11df-badd-00144feabdc0.html

Terms

Page 2 of 2