Swift and Beyoncé show the lucrative relationship between pop and fashion

The return of mega concerts since the Covid-19 pandemic, with Beyoncé and Taylor Swift at the forefront, has highlighted the lucrative links between fashion brands and pop stars.

Stage costumes have long been a way for designers to gain massive exposure: think of Madonna's conical breasts that helped make French designer Jean Paul Gaultier a household name in the early 1990s.

From Edith Piaf's little black dress to Elton John's extravagant glasses to David Bowie's many elaborate fashion statements, music stars have often communicated with their clothes.

A pop star endorsement can have an immediate impact on a brand's bottom line.

Sales of rhinestone cowboy hats increased by more than 1,600 percent after Beyonce wore one for her “Renaissance” tour, according to payments platform Klarna.

Data specialists Launchmetrics estimated that Alexander McQueen got a $7.7 million boost from dressing Beyoncé, while Versace's sales rose $6.3 million thanks to Swift.

Designer David Koma told Vogue that one of his dresses sold out one day after being worn by Beyonce, and he saw a 53 percent increase in his Instagram followers in one month.

Dsquared2 designers Dean and Dan Caten, who have also dressed “Queen B,” told the magazine: “For us, the goal is not really sales but the image and exposure that comes from partnering with a major artist. that looks good on our clothes and adapts to our aesthetic.”

extreme fame

Swift wears an average of 13 outfits each night of her Eras Tour, the European leg of which kicked off in Paris on Thursday.

These include ballgowns for the country section, sequin ensembles for pop hits, and floaty dresses for her forays into folk.

They come courtesy of high fashion brands like Cavalli, Louboutin and Versace, although she wasn't always an obvious choice for them.

“Luxury designers wouldn't have been as interested in partnering with Taylor because her presentation as a pop star was down to earth, unlike someone like Beyonce or Lady Gaga,” said Satu Hameenaho-Fox, author of ” Into the Taylor-Verso”.

“But the level of her fame is so extreme now, and she is considered part of the pantheon of great American songwriters, that, without ever being daring in her style, she is considered almost an institution, a classy institution that any brand would consider .benefit from being associated with “.

Like everything that has to do with Swift, her fans analyze each outfit for coded messages.

Swifties will be eager to see how he presents the songs from his new album, “The Tortured Poets Department”, which will have its first live performances in Paris.

The 34-year-old singer embraces a Victorian gothic aesthetic on the album cover.

Curiously for many Swifties, in the video for the new song “Fortnight”, she wears outfits by the young American designer Elena Vélez, who has fueled controversy with provocative “post-woke” stunts.

“Does that mean Taylor is moving into a space of more controversial figures?” asked Glenys Johnson, author of “Taylor Swift: The Story of a Fashion Legend.”

“The lyrics on her last album were largely about wanting to move beyond her good girl image. We Swifties are eager to see if this means Taylor evolves into a more controversial figure,” Johnson added.