International luxury brands wake up to the African music boom

Having an ear to the streets mirrors his predecessor, the late Virgil Abloh (also the founder of Off-White), says Rhianne Sinclair-Phillips, founder and creative strategy director of FRM Creative. “Pharrell comes from music. He’s a musician and a producer, so he knows and understands how sound can translate globally,” adds Sinclair-Phillips. “It’s smart of Louis Vuitton to say: this is what’s new, what’s hot, and we’re going to make sure they have a presence at our show.”

There is an opportunity for luxury brands to become early adopters and grow with these emerging artists, experts say. “If the return on investment does come in a few years and these African artists are so huge and influential that they can move the needle financially, luxury brands are going to want to look like they’ve been supporting these artists from the beginning,” says Eniafe Momodu, a British-Nigerian fashion writer and creative consultant, whose past clients include Casablanca and Grace Ladoja’s popular Nigerian streetwear festival Homecoming.

With the rise of aspirational consumers across the continent, aligning with African musicians is also an opportunity for luxury to nurture that audience.

Choosing the right partners

For young artists trying to break into the international market, being recognised by a major brand is a significant achievement. Igho Enaohwo, associate at Mavin Records, which represents artists including Starr and Nigerian musician Rema, believes that emerging artists do not have to be selective when it comes to brand partnership as it could be a catalyst for future fashion collaborations. “Not every partnership can be luxury-focused,” he says.

Management and agencies who are representing these emerging artists need to ensure that their artists remain visible to brands, says Sinclair-Phillips. There’s an opportunity for musicians to build better and long-term relationships with luxury brands, which includes showing up to brand events, wearing custom pieces or the latest collection while on tour, and showing general support for the brand, she adds. While working with Nigerian musician Asake, she built relationships with Grace Wales Bonner, who let the musician wear a fresh-off-the-runway tuxedo to the Black Collective Awards, and Martine Rose, who created a custom look for the musician to wear to the Grammys in February.