Music and fashion, a dynamic duo. What would a runway be without music? What would music be without fashion?

Balenciaga recently came out with a collaboration with Pink Martini, an orchestral band, to produce a playlist and a merchandise line. The creative director of Balenciaga, Demna, has made previous collaborations with the music industry to create “Demna’s Playlist”. The collaboration with Pink Martini is not the first of its kind, as Balenciaga has worked with numerous other artists to produce playlists and clothing lines. The crossovers between the fashion and music worlds promote the cultural importance and implications of both industries; one cannot live without the other. 

Music holds a strong role in cultures all around the world; it unites people and allows them to share in a communal experience. The power of music, to be shared between friends or even universally, provides all people with something to bond. Especially with apps such as Apple Music and Spotify, people have the ability to discover and listen to all ranges of music. Music is integrated into all parts of life, whether it is listening to music on the way to class or going to a concert with friends, it can be experienced by and with everyone. 

Pink Martini is an American orchestral band from Portland, Oregon established in 1994. The band consists of 14 members that have all studied different languages and have their own unique styles of music. The music produced by the band ranges from a classical style to samba. The diverse backgrounds of the members have resulted in a specific style that can appeal to anyone’s musical taste. 

Balenciaga’s collaboration with music breaks the boundary between the high class, designer lifestyle, and the universal experience of music. While the pieces range around a thousand dollars, the playlist can be listened to by anyone. The wide variety of music makes it adaptable and applicable to every mood and environment. The collaborative playlist consists not only of songs by Pink Martini, but also picks from the band members. The playlist contains songs of various languages and genres, as well as classics from Frank Sinatra and Dolly Parton. 

The clothing line complements the diverse and unique style of the band’s music with a funky and intrinsic style. For example, one shirt from the line has a worn, oversized, and vintage style, staying on trend with recent fashion crazes. The line consists of hoodies and long-sleeved shirts available in pink or white. The design of these items features their album name, “Hang on Little Tomato” and “Je dis oui”. On the back of the hoodie, there is a list of all the locations in that each band member was raised. The focal point of the design is an airplane flying around the earth, portraying the diversity of the music and backgrounds of the members. 

The playlist can be listened to here: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/pink-martinis-playlist/pl.45498129ed964a92ad9bd2a8989af684

Written by Chloe Pham, Photography: Krystal Pham, Graphic Design: Sarah Szymeczek, Social Media: Marlee Dockery