By Margaux Levy,
Music and fashion share an unbreakable connection. And sound directors are as important to a fashion house as creative directors when it comes to creating the right ambience and sealing the mood of a collection (cue Michel Gaubert who counts clients like Valentino and Fendi and SebastiAn who is an indispensable part of any Saint Laurent show).
During quarantine last year, we've seen more and more brands connecting to their customers via curated music playlists – Alexander McQueen and Dries van Noten unveiled Spotify soundtracks to stream music used in their fashion shows.
READ MORE: Our July 2021 Spotify Playlist Will Make You Want To Dance
Flash forward to this year, and a music playlist has become de rigueur for any brand to transport their followers on a sonic journey that ties in with their vision. With this in mind, we list down some of the replay-worthy music playlists that you should be hitting play on right now.
As part of the #McQueenMusic, the English luxury brand taps on the mind of British composer Isobel Waller-Bridge – she's behind the music of Alexander McQueen runways and productions like Netflix's Black Mirror and Emma.
Expect a playlist inspired by energy and rhythm and genre-defying tunes from the likes of Yaeji, Björk, Caribou, Luke Howard and FKA Twigs, to name a few.
Listen to the playlist here.
Never did we think that Demna Gvasalia would collaborate with RuPaul Charles, but here we are.
On top of a merch collection, Balenciaga has launched a specially curated Apple Music playlist together with the Drag Race host that features tracks by plenty of music queens like Mariah Carey, Britney Spears and Kylie Minogue. Sashay away.
Listen to the playlist here.
For the uninitiated, Bottega Veneta established their own virtual artist residency on their site in an attempt to inspire and work alongside collaborators during the pandemic last year.
While the initiative seems to have been discontinued, you can still have a chance to play the eclectic Bottega Residency soundtrack featuring tracks curated by the artists they've worked with. Among the songs are the electro-pop ditty Kyle (I Found You) by Fred again... and Summer In The City by Quincy Jones.
Listen to the playlist here.
For those who enjoy a dose of psychedelic electronic dance music, you'll be in for a treat with this latest playlist by Burberry which features trance-like music from its latest menswear show, curated by British electronic outfit Shpongle.
Listen to the playlist here.
To coincide with the launch of Chanel's Coco Beach 2021 capsule collection, newest house ambassador and French songbird Angele have released a curated playlist packed with easy-listening anthems for the summer.
Available on Apple Music and Spotify, the 40-track playlist features songs by Dua Lipa, Tame Impala, Lana Del Rey, Rosalia and a medley of French music too.
Listen to the playlist here.
If you love the '70s-inflected disco vibes from Dior's Fall 2021 runway in Shanghai, the French maison has put together a playlist that'll help you get your jiggy on.
Get up and dance to the sounds of Diana Ross, Daft Punk and more – and while you're at it, have a play at Giorgio Moroder's special musical composition which features the voice of Moroccan artist, Maripol.
Listen to the playlist here.
For Gucci's 100th anniversary, Alessandro Michele brings the Gucci Garden Archetypes experience alive by exploring the house's ever-evolving creative vision through an immersive multimedia exhibition.
Besides touring the exhibition virtually, one can also surround his or herself into this kaleidoscopic world of Gucci with its dedicated playlist too.
Listen to the playlist here.
If you loved the hypnotic electronic tune played at Prada's Menswear runway for Spring/Summer 2022, you'll be happy to hear that it's now available for listening on Spotify with just a touch of a button.
Listen to the playlist here.
If you're a fan of The Row, you might already be aware of their monthly playlists curated by the Olsen twins each month.
This month is no different: their July 2021 playlist features tracks like the beguiling The English Connection by Mad Professor and a soulful rendition of Anyone But Me by Joy Crookes, as well as an artwork entitled Love at First Sight by The Gist.
Listen to the playlist here.