Musically

                              Fashionable: The Impact on the World of Fashion

By Diana Rohini La Vigne

Musician aka Designer? Yes! Some of the world’s most famous names in the music industry are adding another title to their resume. Fashion Designer. Although in many cases the musicians act only as financial supporters and inspirations, music celebs are lining up for the opportunity to see their clothing lines being hung in every closet across America.

Ladies First

Jennifer Lopez is one of the world’s most recognized names. She is hot, creative, and extremely marketable! The J. Lo collection offers low hip riders, slinky spaghetti string tops, and unique urban wear. The collection will be available at selected Boston department stores and specialty stores this spring.

From Lopez to Lopes, Lisa "Left Eye" Lopes, hip-hop artist with the group TLC, is obviously drawn to ‘after hours’ attire. Recently, she jumped into the lingerie business. Neither musician plans to retire from their music to design though. This is a side act.

Music artist and record label mogul Sean "P. Diddy" Combs launched his own men’s clothing line, Sean John in 1998. Following close behind, ‘N Sync’s Chris Kirkpatrick launched the FuMan Skeeto line. Rapper and Designer Jay-Z wanted more than just one collection. His clothing lines Phat Farm and Rockwear are flying off the shelves. Not all stories have a happy ending as Carlos Santana discovered. His "Carlos" shoe line is reportedly failing because consumers find it hard to imagine him wearing the cheap mules. What the musician actually sells is important to its success.

Here’s Looking at You Boston

We recruited one of the hottest New Bands in Boston to get the 411 on the impact of fashion in Boston’s music scene. International Duo, Red Velvet Slide - www.redvelvetslide.com has just returned from a 5-month tour including Prague, Sweden, and parts of the United States to promote their self-titled CD. Swedish Berklee Graduate Extraordinaire, Chris Brenne incorporates his skillful guitar melodies with the soulful vocals of Indian bombshell, Parul Vakani to put fourth a sensational rhythm. Their mix creates an alternative pop sound that is reminiscent of early Paul Cole. Receiving an honorable mention in the infamous John Lennon Songwriting Competition and playing at venues like the Kendall Café (a training ground for megastars like Jewel and Elvis Costello) Red Velvet Slide is destined to become a household name.

Of course, musicians dress differently on stage than off stage. Parul, the outdoors type, is always in a pair of jeans. Chris is a natural fashion maven. He is able to pull together random pieces to create an outfit that is sharp and sexy without any effort. On stage, Parul lives more on the edge by choosing fashions that push the limits of intriguingly sexy and unique. Likewise, Chris takes on another facade by becoming the quintessential rock star. Being Swedish, Chris exudes a bit more European flair in his wear. He even matches his attire to his guitar color!

"One of our favorite stores is Jasmine Sola. Their clothes are extremely unique," states Parul. "In my closet you’ll find Nicole Miller from Betsy Jenney. I can wear it on stage and off. Another favorite of mine is Emporio Armani because of the clean lines. I shop at Banana Republic for the basics and BCBG for its leather jeans. For shoes, I love Cuoio. Chris tends to wear Calvin Klein, the Liz Claiborne men’s wear, and other major fashion labels."

When asked if they would like to design their own clothing one day, Parul and Chris state that they would rather focus on their music and leave designing to the experts. With all the great fashions and shops in Boston, musicians can sit back, relax and focus on their music. The designer can continue bringing us fashions to die for and musicians can continue brining music to enhance our ears, souls, and lives.