Music can be influential in many walks of life. As people drive, eat, dance and work to music, they can be unwittingly influenced by it, making the music industry one of the most influential in society.

Fashion is another aspect of society that is heavily influenced by music and, while not intrinsically linked, the music and fashion industries have become so intertwined that many musicians are now using their stardom to sell their own fashion lines. Not only this, but fashion brands often reference a certain style or genre of music to appeal to a specific audience. 

Check out the following examples of fashion brands with evident musical roots, which have been popularised by musical artists.

Gio-Goi and the Manchester scene 

Who can forget the infamous Manchester band scene of the late 1980s, in which groups such as the Happy Mondays and the Stone Roses whipped up a frenzy of followers, paving the way for the famed mix of indie rock and dance music played at the Manchester clubs, most famously the Hacienda?

The fashion label Gio-Goi was created in the 1980s and the British fashion brand’s roots were firmly in the Manchester band scene of the same time, selling clothes and memorabilia at clubs throughout Manchester.

After a legal battle with designer Giorgio Armani over the use of “Gio” in its brand name, the fashion line ended production, only to re-emerge in 2005. Following its re-launch it soon became clear that music was to once again be at the heart of this ‘raw’ and ‘edgy’ fashion brand, with the likes of Pete Doherty and Kasabian’s lead singer, Tom Meighan, regularly being seen in GioGoi clothing.

In 2006, Gio-Goi worked alongside Pete Doherty and produced a line of t-shirts. The line was sold exclusively at Selfridges in London for just 30 days before being made available in other stores.

Kangol, Tommy Hilfiger and Rap

Of course, Gio-Goi is far from the only clothing brand to intertwine fashion and music. In the 1980s, Kangol became the signature trademark of the rap star LL Cool J, who was regularly seen wearing Kangol clothes and accessories.

Similarly, in the 1990s, Snoop Dogg promoted the Tommy Hilfiger brand by wearing a Hilfiger sweater during an appearance on Saturday Night Live. The following day reports emerged that the Hilfiger sweatshirt the rapper had worn had sold out of Hilfiger stores in New York.

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