Music and fashion are two outlets that rely heavily on one another. Artists are able to illustrate their work and pull viewers into a world where their songs are brought to life. There are some videos that display fashion in a supreme manner while being stylistically shot. Here is a selection of 10 of the most colorful, artful and fashion-forward videos of all time.
1. Missy Elliott – “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” – 1997
Missy Elliott in an inflated, garbage-bag-like garment, sunglasses that double as protection, a claw-like headpiece, Chanel suspenders and coordinated neon orange suits — as outlandish as it sounds, it works. This video is a treasure that flawlessly achieves the “weirdness” that was the ’90s. The video is mostly shot using a fish-eye lens, which captures Elliott up close and personal, making facial expressions for the camera. The highlight of the piece is a scene in which Elliott is featured sitting on a hill in a set that looks (intentionally) much like the set of the Teletubbies. Watching it makes you wonder why culture even bothered to keep evolving.
2. Madonna – “Vogue” – 1990
As the classic fashion anthem, the video for “Vogue” cannot help but be glamorous. Shot in black and white, the video depicts Madonna switching between channeling her inner Marilyn Monroe and a more androgynous look when she is dancing with male backup dancers. This method was very cutting edge at the time because it was one of the first times a woman in a suit was considered chic. It went on to be a major theme of 90s fashion.
3. A$AP Rocky – “Long Live A$AP” – 2013
It is no secret that rapper A$AP Rocky has a flair for style and is a major artist in the fashion community. This video has a beautiful, eerie aesthetic. Set in a castle and shot in only black and white, A$AP raps from a throne flanked by static TV screens. The video features two models who move fluidly with one another, mirroring each other. One represents a light side and the other a dark side – just one symbol in a video full of meaning.
4. Lady Gaga – “Bad Romance” – 2009
Voted Best Video of the 2000s decade by readers of Billboard, this video captures Lady Gaga at a moment when she was truly the center of pop culture. A queen of oddity, Gaga combines a great voice, impeccable dancing, divine clothing and sexual power to create one of the most artful and captivating videos ever produced. The late celebrated designer Alexander McQueen provided many of the statement-making pieces employed, including the now iconic Armadillo heels that models refused to walk in due to their height. This high-fashion frenzy full of Burberry trenches, showy jeweled lingerie, razor-blade glasses and creepy monsters is worth watching.
5. Sonic Youth – “Sugar Kane” – 1992
Sonic Youth has always been ahead of their time. The video features clips of a Perry Ellis collection designed by the now-famous Marc Jacobs. It provides a first-hand look at ’90s fashion as it was happening in the moment. It is interesting to see, as designers now are relying heavily on the ’90s to draw inspiration for their current collections. The video is visually satisfying, as fashion flat drawings are put onto bodies, creating a funky, pop art affect.
6. Britney Spears – “… Baby One More Time” – 1999
“… Baby One More Time” not only defined a period of music but also a generation. The famed schoolgirl outfit Spears wore now serves as inspiration to girls everywhere looking for the perfect flashback ensemble. It also popularized the look on the runway and further solidified crop tops, high white socks and feather scrunchies as staples of the late ’90s and early 2000s.
7. The Killers – “Spaceman” – 2008
Alternative band The Killers have a sound and kicky aesthetic that sets them apart. The video for “Spaceman” is something of a spectacular masquerade. A giant tiered structure best described as a huge fashion cake is the sole fixture throughout the video. Lead man Brandon Flowers is dressed in a costume that portrays him as a sort of vogue superhero. The whole orchestration appears like a haute couture runway show. There are chandeliers hanging, colorful outfits (eerily, they shared a resemblance to the much-talked about printed spacesuits at Dior this season) and dramatic masks covering faces.
8. Nirvana – “Smells Like Teen Spirit” – 1991
Kurt Cobain is rolling over in his grave as this video is labeled “fashionable,” but the anti-mainstream attitude that propelled the band is exactly what made them so striking, coincidentally. The fame that grew around the band is not only what made them revolutionary but also led to Cobain’s suicide. The nonchalant tone of this video is reflected in a simple premise: the band performs in a high school gym. Plaid flannels, baggy pants, dark colors and dirty, messy hair became “cool” with the debut of this video. A rebellious undertone caused a movement that would define a decade and reverberates today.
9. Zombies – “Time of the Season” – 1968
The quintessential ’60s hit “Time of the Season” captures one of the first real movements in pop culture. The British invasion put England into play as a country on the cutting edge. All of the trendy rock ‘n’ roll was being produced there. Watching this video is visually stunning. It’s funny to see how on-trend all of the clothing in the fashion shows depicted still is. It’s clear to see how culture is opening up in this crucial time. New ways of wearing clothing, innovative music and more provocative dancing shook up the world.
10. Gwen Stefani – “Hollaback Girl” – 2004
Bananas. With the repeated incorporation of one fruit, Gwen Stefani made a hit. Whether or not you could define exactly what a “Hollaback Girl” is became irrelevant. It stuck. The video featured Stefani’s “Harajuku Girls,” four Japanese backup dancers that served as her muses for the entire beginning of her solo career. Tokyo culture as a whole was a major inspiration for Stefani’s fashion choices, which at the time were reflected in her label, L.A.M.B. The video makes you wish you were a part of Stefani’s world as they go through aisles in shopping carts, knocking down everything in their path. The world could use more of this fun disobedience.
