The stage is set; performers at the ready. What remains to be seen is what everyone outside is waiting for: the sartorial narrative, delicately woven by needle and thread. Indeed, every artist has his own stage—and the runway is ultimately the one that belongs to a designer. In order to tell the story in mind, a beautiful coalescence of contributing elements come into play. The location, the cast, and of course, the accompanying soundtrack. After all, the background music is also often wielded to mark its beginning; once the beat drops, a tempo is set into motion—and the models begin to march out, right on cue.
With every passing season, it’s become clear that the different maisons take extra care and caution in ensuring that their tunes of choice are played in perfect tandem with the mood of their designs. This proved true all throughout the recent fall/winter 2024 season as well, with the best of the lot automatically throwing caution to the wind—opting for anthems that would tell their tale best.
For fall/winter 2024, it was a ‘90s redux. The rousing atmosphere of Kate Bush’s ‘Cloudbusting’ was called upon for Chemana Kamali’s celebratory debut at Chloé—one that brimmed with the sensual effortlessness of the Chloé woman. Over at Dolce&Gabbana, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana were in the mood for dance; the cool, suave beats of Róisín Murphy working in tandem with the tuxedo-inspired collection. But if we’re talking music, New Yorkers can’t deny the pull of a live performance—which is precisely why Tommy Hilfiger proved to be a playful, enjoyable run as Jon Batiste took the show home.
So whilst the garments remain the unrivalled star of the runway, these were the tunes that had us grooving to the beat long after the show was over. Some even found a spot in our personal playlists. Without further ado, we present to you Vogue Singapore’s favourite runway tracks from the fall/winter 2024 season.
1 / 10
Chloé: 'Cloudbusting' by Kate Bush
The Chloé woman is reborn in Chemana Kamali’s eyes—in all her sensual effortlessness and carefree ease. Kate Bush’s stirring track only cemented her stunning debut—one that was truly homecoming for the designer whose designer beginnings were rooted in the maison’s threads, as she referenced all of the house’s most legacy-leaving designers.
2 / 10
Tom Ford: 'I Feel Love' by Sam Smith
Peter Hawkings knows to prioritise a good cut, whilst retaining the sensuality of a Tom Ford look. As shirts came out unbuttoned to below the navel and faux fur coats thrown over naked dresses, disco nostalgia was imbued via Sam Smith’s remake of Donna Summer’s ’80s hit: ‘I Feel Love’.
3 / 10
Dolce&Gabbana: 'Murphy's Law' by Roisin Murphy
“The simpler a piece, a classic like the tuxedo, the more perfect it is, eternal, free from the constraints of time,” explains the designer duo on their fall/winter 2024 collection, titled ‘Tuxedo’. Such was the mood exacted by Róisín Murphy’s ‘Murphy Law’; her smoky vocals and suave electronic beats formed the ideal combination for Naomi Campbell to come sashaying down the runway at its finalé.
4 / 10
Anna Sui: 'Bull In The Heather' by Sonic Youth
Anna Sui understands the power of vintage holds over the current zeitgeist—and she went full throttle on her ’90s nostalgia this fall/winter 2024. With references pulled from Agatha Christie’s Miss Marple and washes of blue and vermillion that looked like they could be Virginia Woolf book covers—there was a leaning to ’90s rock hits from the greats. Sonic Youth’s ‘Bull In The Heather’ was just one of the many pulsating beats employed during the length of the show.
5 / 10
Burberry: 'Back to Black' by Amy Winehouse
Opening with the face of British punk, Agyness Deyn, was one that could instantly transport the Burberry audience back two decades. But there’s nothing like the slow, emotional escapade of ‘Back To Black’ by R&B and soul icon Amy Winehouse, to really throw it all the way back.
6 / 10
Tommy Hilfiger: 'Freedom' by Jon Batiste
The mood was ebullient, the vibe, carefree. This was the Tommy Hilfiger show, and it couldn’t get more quintessentially New York than this. Why so? Not only was the chosen locale The Oyster Bar at Grand Central Terminal, but the clothes that came trotting out were all also delicious reinventions of preppy Tommy essentials. But the atmosphere could only have been cemented by the cheery, uplifting performance of ‘Freedom’ by Jon Batiste.
7 / 10
Fendi: 'Shinzo No Tobira' by Mariah
Nothing like this gliding, synth-pop number by Japanese avant-garde group Mariah to enunciate the woven thread at Fendi—where asymmetrical tailoring and Japanese-inflected designs (such as those obi belt moments) were par for the course.
8 / 10
Tory Burch: 'Disorder' by Joy Division
For Tory Burch, there was a clear desire to express a more playful, experimental side to her usual status quo. It was only apt that Joy Division’s ‘Disorder’ was employed for the runway—the post-punk classic that headed the band’s debut album and was emblematic of a new alternative wave.
9 / 10
Eckhaus Latta: 'hope is a dangerous thing for a woman like me to have - but I have it' by Lana Del Rey
There was hope, at Eckhaus Latta. Hope, that its audiences would understand how its clothes are gently and delicately crafted, and that the best city style could be easy, seductive and fabulous all at the same time. Cue Lana, or a live cover of her emotionally stirring track, by Loren Kramar.
10 / 10
Sacai: 'Feeling Good' by Nina Simone
Trenches, coats, blazers, shirts, knits. But they were all dresses in Chitose Abe’s eyes—and this collection definitely called for Nina Simone’s soaring vocals that went: ‘It’s a new dawn, it’s a new day, it’s a new life for me”.
