The Art of Sound Design in Fashion

Sound design in fashion is a multifaceted and dynamic art form that combines music, performance, and visual elements to create a captivating and immersive experience. As a sound designer and composer, I have had the privilege of working with various projects, including films, sound installations, and fashion shows. My approach to sound design is centered around creating a harmonious connection between music and fashion, where every element is carefully crafted to enhance the overall aesthetic and emotional impact of the event.

Exploring the World of Sound Design

My work spans various projects, including composing music for films, creating sound installations, crafting performances, curating and programming, and developing compositions for other artists. I am intentional about what I take on, choosing only those that deeply resonate with me. A significant part of my work involves consulting and leading the musical artistic direction for brands and creative ventures, from organizing shows to shaping the musical identity of venues. I am also deeply passionate about live performances and sonic experimentation.

• Sound design in fashion is a dynamic art form that requires creativity, experimentation, and attention to detail.
• As a sound designer and composer, I have had the privilege of working with various projects, including films, sound installations, and fashion shows.
• I approach sound design as a sculptor approaches their material, treating it as a medium for experimentation and discovery.

Collaborations and Projects

Who have you worked with?

I compose and provide artistic sound direction for Rei Kawakubo and Victor Weinsanto. I also co-founded 3537, a politics organization, with my best friend Romain Eugène Campens. I have worked with brands like Airei and Vincent Pressiat and have developed projects in Japan with inspiring partners across Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka.

What does music bring to a fashion show?

Music serves as a bridge between the heart and mind, a framework that shapes interpretation of a moment. Music conveys powerful emotions: it draws us in, captivates us, and transports us. It can quicken the heartbeat, make feet tap, or touch the deepest parts of the self. Music is omnipresent, like the ambient noise and sounds that punctuate our daily lives and sharpen our perceptions.

The Approach to Creating a Fashion Show Soundtrack

I enjoy surprising, even disorienting, by always proposing the unimaginable, the impossible, or the seemingly irrelevant. I wouldn’t say I follow a specific approach or rigid process. Each soundtrack begins with a conversation, sometimes just a single word. It’s through these exchanges that I immerse myself in the artistic direction of the show.

For instance, with Victor, our conversations dive into his life, current state, doubts and fears. I extract what he seeks to convey through his collection. Once I understand these elements, I dive into the research phase. My goal is to translate the soul of the show and its artistic director into sound, forming a harmonious, unified whole.

Before even thinking about the music, I establish a framework – context, objectives, and intent. From there, my personal touch comes into play. I love to defy expectations.

Working with a Designer

I need genuine human connection. I’m a warm, tactile person and I find it almost impossible to work with a designer whose intention or gesture I haven’t fully understood. By ‘gesture,’ I mean their artistic, political, or – as I like to say – ‘pirate’ expression: the ability to create beyond convention, beyond rules.

Favorite Tracks and Artists

I’m inspired by Aphex Twin, Boards of Canada, Ryuichi Sakamoto, John Cage, and others who revolutionized music and sparked my own desire to compose. That said, I strive never to repeat myself or reuse the same ideas. Each composition I create is unique, adapting to the story being told.

Just as every show, designer, and collection is distinct, our role as musicians is to create the rhythm that allows the collection to resonate. This demands discipline, love, and time.

The Music Genres that Define Me

I can’t confine myself to any particular genre. My tastes are eclectic and I compose with complete freedom, free from musical constraints. To me, musical curiosity and openness should remain boundless.

Inspiring Fashion Shows

I’ve already lived that dream with Comme des Garçons. They entrusted me with the sound direction for the Homme Plus SS24 show, where I performed live with my modular synthesizer. Thanks to the collaboration with William Russell and the Monom Studio team, the spatialized sound system brought the performance to life.

I played with deconstructed compositions. It may have seemed improvised, but that’s what I call momentum.

The Best Musical Tastes

Without hesitation, Rei Kawakubo. Her unparalleled creativity never fails to impress me. I would also like to highlight Sabisha Friedberg, whose immense talent and soul inspires me.

Taken from 10 Magazine Issue 74 – MUSIC, TALENT, CREATIVE – on newsstands now.