Music and fashion are often linked together: artists and bands seem to be able to launch successful trends that are soon adopted by fans and ordinary people alike and that, at times, even manage to inspire fashion designers. Think Amy Winehouse’s beehive and ballet slippers or Alex Kapranos’ slim-cut trousers, skinny ties and tailored jackets. In the last few years, artists and musicians also have replaced models in advertising campaigns for established fashion brands: The Kills’ Alison Mosshart starred a couple of years ago in a J.Lindeberg‘s campaign, while, more recently, Foals’ drummer Jack Bevan and Blondelle‘s Will Cameron were chosen to feature in a Burberry ad.
I have always loved music, but when it came to the fashion and music dichotomy, it was always the most visually quirky artists who managed to show off a very personal style who caught my attention. As a young girl I had an understandable fascination with the bright and bold polka dot style of Scottish pop band Strawberry Switchblade. Nowadays I enjoy disco and electronica diva Róisín Murphy: since last year’s “Overpowered” album, she has sported with great élan in her videos and advertising campaigns for her album and singles, some of the most incredible creations, from a cumbersome Gareth Pugh’s coat to Viktor & Rolf’s overhanging light fixture dress paired with giant Dutch clogs; from a Martin Margiela cape to assorted vintage numbers by Louis Vuitton, Balenciaga and Miu Miu.
Goldfrapp is another artist you could write an essay about when it comes to music and fashion: some of her outfits remind of Vivienne Westwood’s creations, such as pirate hats and harlequin printed dresses and suits from the designer’s late ’80s collections. Amazingly, Goldfrapp even managed to avoid a plastic strip curtain effect even while wearing her technicolour ribbon dress at the Glastonbury Festival.
One artist I’ve been keeping my eye on now for a while is Bishi. I find her music and style quite amazing. Born to a Bengali family and with an Indian classical singer as mother, Bishi is a singer, DJ and multi-instrumentalist based in London. Her name is well-known in nightclub circles as she has been a friend and collaborator of promoter Matthew Glamorre since she was 13, and worked as DJ for underground club Kashpoint. Bishi has a passion for the English and European folk tradition which she blends with her amazing sitar melodies (she learnt how to play the instrument at the Ravi Shankar School for Music).
Released last year, Bishi’s debut album, “Nights At The Circus” – inspired by Angela Carter’s novel by the same title – is a mix of Indian folk music and catchy dance and pop elements, with sitar riffs, tabla and synthesizers accompanying her beautiful voice. When it came out, Bishi explained she had based the album on the concept of being an outsider. It’s an interesting statement that could also be applied to her personal style.
Based on D.I.Y. aesthetics, Bishi’s style is a sort of mixture of burlesque, haute couture and casual wear that mixes a certain surrealism to a mundane daily existence and urban life.
The result is beautiful: at times Bishi looks like a diva, at others she is a confident young woman who doesn’t take herself too seriously.
I loved the Ada Zanditon dress she wore at her recent concert featuring the London Symphony Orchestra. Zanditon’s creation was based on a dress worn by virtuoso thereminist Clara Rockmore.
Bishi’s single ‘On My Own Again’ (released on 07/07/08) – a catchy song about accepting that being alone often means to be strong and free – has been re-recorded with a tango orchestra and turned into a pop anthem. I can’t wait to see the video in which Bishi stars as a tango dancer. Stills from the forthcoming video, taken by Anna Leader, are already available on Bishi’s diary page, which is a mish-mash of news about gigs, nightclubs, galleries and exhibitions.
This year marks a special anniversary for me: it’s ten years since I started writing. When I started, I mainly did stuff about music and, as time passed, I felt all the original fun of writing about music was fading away, mainly because there were too many bands around and too little originality. Luckily, artists such as Bishi are restoring my faith in the power of great music and, obviously, in the power of style.
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