Music and fashion are tied together tight. From The Supremes’ polished glamour to Kurt Cobain’s 90s grunge, all of our favourite musicians come to mind in a certain outfit, a look that’s been burnt into history. Seemingly separate from the straight-faced fashion of runways and fashion weeks, the trends and looks found in music are about identity and spirit, becoming a kind of social signal to tell the world who you are and what you like. Go to any concert and you’re likely to find a subtle uniform in the crowd, matching the person on stage. Look back at any era and you’ll find camps of style, the hippies, the mods, the rockers, all paired up nicely with the music that they listened to. But how were these looks created? How do you go about styling a band and working with music within fashion? To answer these questions, we talked to Sara Wilson, a stylist from Manchester, UK who styles everyone from major brands, up-and-coming bands and indie fashion lines.  

There are so many people out there wanting to get into fashion. How did you get to where you are today?

I think it was a lot about being ready for something at the right time. I graduated university in the year of the recession and could not get a job in what I wanted to do. I worked roles related to buying and styling to gain perspective on other areas and understand the industry more, where I could I would help people out in the roles I eventually wanted to go into. Alongside this, I started a blog. Blogging was a much less saturated market back then & fashion blogging was only just starting to be recognised by the press and the wider industry. Through this, I was invited to press days and events which allowed me to network and start to build a bit of recognition up. By the time the job market had started to improve I had a background in personal shopping, buying, merchandising, had assisted stylists and lead my own test shoots. I also had some good contacts within Manchester and London in fashion publications and brands.

It has taken me years to work up to where I am today and I think it is even harder to get into the industry today. With the rise of social media, I think it is easy to portray that people get from A-B very quickly but it doesn't always work that way. Like they say, Instagram can be a highlights reel, it can also be fabricated. Social media can be amazing for opportunities but I have noticed it also makes a lot of people who message me feel inferior that they are not making tracks as quickly as others are. I think it is very easy to put a 'Stylist' as a job title and have people assume you are established and that it is your full-time job to work on photoshoots & TV. I would always advise people to keep going, expect to start at the bottom and do whatever you need to work up. Do it with a smile and do not get too involved in comparing yourself to others. 

Has music always been an inspiration to your styling work, or has your work with bands and rock n roll brands come about by coincidence?

I think there are a couple of things that can take credit: Music Subcultures have always fascinated me and these go hand in hand with fashion. Out of the ideology of music subcultures come iconic pieces that are instantly recognisable, such as the fishtail Parka for Mods, skinny ties and creepers for Teds and flouncy shirts for New Romantics. I read 'The National Fabric - Fashion, Britishness, Globalization' by Alison Goodrum when I was 21 which detailed how conflicting and ambiguous British fashion is, but I loved how intense each 'style' was. How dedicated people were to a look, a lifestyle, a genre of music. 

Obviously, this then leads us to the musical icons, such as - Marc Bolan, David Bowie, Mick Jagger, Paul Weller, Sid Vicious, Chrissie Hynde, MC5, Debbie Harry, Billy Idol, Slash, Elton John, Patti Smith, New York Dolls...

Far too many to name but all channelling a defining style, some changing, some staying the same throughout their careers. This passion would come through in test shoots that I have styled and from there I have been lucky to work on other projects over the years. 

Secondly, in my early 20's I fell into some music journalism which I know sounds like a very obnoxious thing to say. I was extremely lucky. I was lucky enough to interview some amazing people and report from key awards ceremonies and festivals. Music has always been a love. My Mam brought me up on Motown, Elton John, Duran Duran, Eurythmics, Simon & Garfunkel, Simply Red, Crowded House, Police & Fleetwood Mac. I took music at school and could play 3 instruments - I mean, one of them was a Steel Drum, although that didn't make me any cooler at school! 

Who are you favourite muses and references when you’re styling, and why?

It is all different depending on who or what for I am styling. If it is a fashion shoot for a brand then you work with the brand image, current trends and who the models are and come up with something that sells that product to the intended customer. If it is a person, then I work with that person to determine what they want to ultimately achieve and pull references from there. 

When I am styling women, I tend to look at a lot of menswear shows, male music icons and when I am styling men, I love to look at womenswear look-books, female icons and the construction of womenswear from past years. I think that you can find beautiful colour combinations or details that you can re-use and be inspired by. Robert Plant once said that he used to shop in the girl’s shops for tops & jeans. The tighter and smaller the better. I think a lot of amazing things can be found if you browse across both menswear and womenswear. Pinterest, Instagram and looking at the latest shows are key for styling. Street trends can change overnight, you need to be able to spot them as they do and apply to your work if you are working for a brand that is trend-focused.

What do you think is the most iconic look in music history?

I think there are hundreds aren't there? But if I had to pick one that I think is iconic because it is recognisable to pretty much any generation, whether a music fan or not, it would be Madonna's 1990 outfit on her Blonde Ambition Tour. The Jean-Paul Gaultier bodysuit. I remember Marc Bolan said "95% of my success is the way I look. That's what people pick up on. The music is secondary" Some of the most iconic moments in Fashion History were down to musicians.

What is your favourite look you’ve styled lately?

These two on Charlie Cole. He trusted me that it would work and I am glad he did. They are inspired by various fashion & music references, some from 2019, some from past eras I had on a mood board created for him. He has a really open mind & just lets me get on with it.

How does your thought process change when you’re styling bands/rock n roll inspired bands vs your other styling work? What kind of things go through your head?

The most important thing is always the client. I am not there to project myself onto them. I am there to ensure a brief is met and bring my skillset to that. My full-time job is managing a Styling & Hair and Make-up team at a fashion brand so that is my focus and we style with the brand and customer at the forefront of our mind. Styling bands and people is much more collaborative. You want them to feel comfortable in what they are wearing otherwise it will never be authentic and they just feel like a tit. Especially if they are on stage, they have enough going on without feeling awkward in their clothing choices. With people, my mindset is always to elevate what style they already have.

What/who is on your current fashion mood board as inspiration?

This is a snapshot of my current Pinterest saves - Enjoy ! 

Follow Sara on Instagram here!