Music and fashion both involve creativity and self-expression and thus frequently overlap—creating a synergy that further enriches popular culture and the zeitgeist. For instance, Tyler, the Creator performed at the iconic Virgil Abloh’s Men’s Fall-Winter 2022 Collection. Beyond providing music and setting the mood for the runway show during Paris Fashion Week, the American rapper and record producer was invited to pay tribute to the late designer who has significantly influenced hip-hop.
The intersection between music and fashion also manifests in the influx of brand ambassadorships among musicians. A notable example is Australian K-pop idol Danielle Marsh being named the new Global Ambassador at CELINE, joining familiar faces like BLACKPINK’s Lisa and Korean actor Park Bogum. As an ambassador, the NewJeans member will represent CELINE at key events and appear in its latest promotional campaigns.
However, beyond being invited to perform for and represent brands, musicians can also take a more active role in fashion through collaborative collections that leverage their influence while also embodying their artistic identity. Sunglasses brands, in particular, have always been reaching out to and partnering with singers, so let’s have a look at the most remarkable collaborations that drew attention in both the music and fashion industries.
Dua Lipa x Versace
On top of being the co-chair for Met Gala 2023, Dua Lipa has also embraced fashion by co-designing a women’s collection with Donatella Versace, the chief creative officer of the Italian fashion house Versace. The co-designed La Vacanza line, which debuted at Cannes, portrays Dua and Donatella’s shared vision for modernity and elegance through tailored silhouettes and a colour palette of pastel hues.
Aside from printed evening gowns, shimmering bikinis, and terry cotton beach wear, the summer collection features Dua’s fresh take on signature Versace sunglasses styles, such as the oversized silhouettes and bold temples embellished with the golden Medusa logo seen on the VE4452 frames. Specifically, the Dua Lipa x Versace Medusa Biggie sunglasses update the classic VE4361 Biggie frames with tinted lenses.
SZA x Quay
Like Dua for Versace, SZA’s collaborative sunglasses line with Australian eyewear brand Quay perfectly captures her creative energy and sensibilities. In an interview with NYLON, the Grammy Award-winning singer and songwriter shared that the sunglasses in the collection were similar to the styles she herself would use to accessorize and add to her personality.
True enough, her favourite pair from the collab, On Set, reflects SZA’s open and spontaneous personality through the oversized silhouette and visor-like, almost see-through design. Another highlight is Vibe Check, a slim, black pair of sunglasses SZA herself described as versatile for formal events or a sexy, secretive vibe.
Sevdaliza x Ray-Ban
Meanwhile, Sevdaliza continues the eyewear brand Ray-Ban’s legacy of partnering with trailblazing artists like Venezuelan musician and producer Arca and DJ and electronic musician Honey Dijon. For this Ray-Ban Studios collaboration, the Iranian-Dutch singer redesigned the Julie-Dahlia sunglasses, a lightweight style with a delicate black metal frame and see-through orange lenses.
In an interview with PAPER Magazine, Sevdaliza said that the inspiration for the glasses was the concept of finding one’s inner superhero, which aligns with Ray-Ban Studios’ core message of celebrating self-expression and individuality throughout a journey of strength and empowerment.
Billie Eilish x Gucci
Since becoming a hit artist, Billie Eilish has been actively teaming up with brands to promote her music and reach out to more fans worldwide. For example, her collaboration with Spotify in 2021 was called A Letter to Your Future Self, a personalized and interactive microsite where fans write uplifting letters to their future selves in line with the themes of her single, ‘my future.’
However, her collaboration with Gucci as the face of its 2022 eyewear campaign took a different approach, instead representing the singer-songwriter’s maturity as an artist and an individual. In a campaign video envisioned by Alessandro Michele, Eilish and her doppelgänger are seen sporting black acetate sunglasses, an oversized sun mask, and pink Cat-eye shades—all matching the campaign’s film noir and retro allure inspirations.
