Fashion promoted modernist trends in music in the early twentieth century, mainly in France. The new aesthetic approaches were related to fashion in a manner that was perfectly attuned to the tastes of the jazz age.
Coco Chanel is a good example of woman that influenced composers such as Igor Stravinsky and Les Six, determining what was counted as chic and elegant. Chanel revolutionized haute couture replacing the traditional corset with the comfort and casual elegance of simple suits and dresses.
I’ve recently seen the term “Kate Moss effect” in the internet and was curious about it.
Based on a survey commissioned by Freeview Playback the term was coined because Kate is blamed for rising emphasis on designer clothes on music festivals. Music festivals today are more about designer wardrobes than the acts on stage, according to new research out.
A third of the women, admitted in the survey that they had to shop for a completely new wardrobe for their festival weekend.
What I can’t understand is why they are spreading so loud the strong influence of fashion on music festivals and the results of this survey. Maybe there was not such a survey in the past, but fashion has been walking together with music since always and Kate Moss has the same or even less importance than other woman, who has influenced music with their fashion style.
Vivienne Westwood, for instance, is a british fashion designer and was the driver of the punk style.
After she married the Sex Pistols manager Malcolm McLaren, Malcolm decided to open a shop, Let It Rock, where Westwood began to sell her outrageous designs. The Sex Pistols wore her clothes and I assure that a significant part of the punk “festival” goers had to shop for a completely new wardrobe and beauty products as well.
Westwood revolutionised fashion, and the impact is still felt today - the bondage gear, safety pins, razor blades, bicycle or lavatory chains on clothing and spiked dog collars that were used as jewellery, as well as outrageous make-up and hair.
Vivienne’s influence in music is so far stronger than Kate’s and perhaps much more into the genuine rock and roll style.
I am myself a big fan of Kate and her looks ranging from tiny hotpants and waistcoats to mini-dresses and impractical high-heeled ankle boots.
She is indeed a regular on the outdoor music scene. Besides, she has achieved a huge success as fashion designer, creating her own special collection for TopShop, as mentioned on my previous post.
Kate is pure rock and roll. She’s involved with some bands that I love such as The White Stripes and Primal Screen and dates Pete Doherty, an English musician. They are an on-and-off troublesome couple that is often on the spotlight of the tabloids because of their rock and roll lifestyle.
No matter who is playing the music - Les Six, the Sex Pistols or Franz Ferdinand - I guess the elite women of high societies in France, the punk iconoclasts or modern brit indie rock and roll girls, they feel the same about the importance of buying new pieces before going to music festivals.
The best part of the “Kate Moss Effect” is that Kates’ fashion is much more democratic, having the same power of Chanel’s on making women feeling like a glamorous celebrity - for less than 100 pounds.
