Style Counsel - The Wire

"In March 2025, the UK experimental music scene was pleasantly surprised when London venue Cafe Oto got a mention at the Oscars. Daniel Blumberg, who won an Oscar for the score for The Brutalist, used his acceptance speech to pay tribute to the East London venue and its community of "hard working, radical musicians, who've been making uncompromising music for many years" (the soundtrack features the likes of Seymour Wright, Evan Parker and Steve Noble)."

"The last few years have seen a growing number of designer brands working with experimental music or musicians. In 2022, radio platform NTS partnered with designer denim brand Diesel to launch TRACKS, a series of parties, events and discussions that would allow Diesel to harness NTS's community-making infrastructure and leftfield musical nous. In April this year, Berlin label Pan, who have released the likes of Beatrice Dillon, Iggor Cavalera and Slikback, teamed up with Nike - a company recently valued at $31 billion - to launch a new trainer."

"Obviously fashion and pop music go hand in hand, enjoying a nearly symbiotic relationship as cultural expressions. But a burgeoning relationship between high fashion and experimental music is troubling, most obviously because the economic and social forces underpinning the two are so drastically imbalanced. What could multibillion dollar companies possibly want with precarious, awkward, typically anti-capitalist music cultures? Unless it's... precisely those qualities."

Daniel Blumberg won an Oscar for the score for The Brutalist and used his acceptance speech to salute East London's Cafe Oto and its community of "hard working, radical musicians." Six months later Blumberg walked the runway for Miu Miu, prompting praise for his introspective, avant‑garde energy. Designer brands have increasingly collaborated with experimental music platforms and artists, including NTS with Diesel, Pan with Nike, and music contributions to Dior and Burberry shows. These collaborations reveal a stark imbalance as wealthy fashion houses capitalize on precarious, often anti‑capitalist music cultures and their perceived avant‑garde cachet.

Read at The Wire Magazine - Adventures In Modern Music