The Runway Score: How Music Is The Underrated Force Behind Fashion’s Strongest Stories

A memorable soundscape has always been the hallmark of a legendary fashion show. The greatest shows are remembered as much for their soundscapes as for their silhouettes. Fashion history is littered with shows that weren’t defined solely by clothes, but also by the music. Take, for example, Alexander McQueen’s iconic Spring/Summer 1999 outing. The show is obviously remembered for the finale dress worn by Shalom Harlow, spray-painted by robots on the runway. But it's an interesting choice of music, too. The show started with the Beastie Boys (American hip hop group), but the final unveiling of what is often referred to as the ‘swan dress’ was set to Song of the Dying Swan by Camille Saint-Saëns. Another example would be the riotous creativity at CHANEL's Spring/Summer 2012 show with Florence Welch singing What the Water Gave Me inside a crystal-studded, white-washed Grand Palais. 

India On The Playlist

The dialogue between fashion and music is sharper and more intentional than ever. Iconic collaborations between the musicians and designers now make headlines that rival the collections themselves. Louis Vuitton’s decision to bring in AR Rahman for their Spring/Summer 2026 menswear show wasn’t just a clever homage; it was a cultural masterstroke. The collection itself leaned heavily into Indian motifs, and Rahman’s unmistakably Indian soundscape gave the show depth and resonance that went well beyond aesthetic nods. Suddenly, the runway became a place where heritage wasn’t borrowed, but fully honoured and fused.

That same desire for connection and meaning was evident when Dior brought Parisian couture to Mumbai for its Pre-Fall 2023 show. At the Gateway of India, tabla virtuoso Anuradha Pal did more than just play live at the show—she wove an atmosphere. “Music is the heartbeat, tailored to elevate the fashion show, not overpower,” says Pal. She immersed herself in mood boards, fabric swatches, the vision of Creative Director Maria Grazia Chiuri, and built music to mirror the collection’s flow. “It was deeply collaborative,” she shared, referencing hours of back-and-forth with designers and choreographers to ensure every beat served the garment and the experience. The result was magnetic. Thirteen million views online, yes, but more importantly, a sense that something meaningful had happened: a poetic meeting of cultures, expressed through fashion but elevated by rhythm. Music that suited the collection, location and added more meaning to the overall show. 

Custom Earworms

My most recent memory of a fashion show soundtrack (one that’s etched in my mind) was from Kunal Rawal’s showcase at India Couture Week 2023. The models walked to a song called Ishq Mitha which quickly became the talk of the town. Everyone was searching for it, only to discover that it was a brand-new track, custom-made by Rawal in collaboration with singers and composers Akshay and IP Singh exclusively for that show. Rawal is one of the few Indian designers who pays meticulous attention to the music played at his shows. “The soundtrack is not a finishing touch, it’s the starting block,” he says. For him, design, music, and storytelling are woven together to make a perfect show. When Ishq Mitha went viral, with audiences awaiting its release on Spotify, it spoke to the sheer impact music can have. How a melody can make a collection unforgettable long after the runway is packed up. “Music anchors everything else,” Rawal says. “If the music isn’t right, the emotion doesn’t land.” And he means it. Every season, hundreds of wedding videos pour into his inbox, set to the tracks he has created. His other song, Rawal Da Kurta, composed in collaboration with the same artists, has become an auditory signature for the garment itself. Like a musical logo, it instantly recalls his kurta to mind, fusing clever promotion with brand identity. The garments may be the face, but the music is undeniably the soul.

Behind The Scenes

But all this isn’t just magic; it’s hard work, demanding collaboration and precision. Show directors are the maestros behind the emotional crescendo. “Music determines the mood and sets the tone. It’s the glue, the drama, the rhythm,” says show director Vahbiz Mehta. Her process is equal parts instinct and science, built on exchanges with designers, mood curation, and careful choreography. Sometimes the perfect track already exists; sometimes it needs to be built from the ground up, layering rhythm, melody, and even ambient textures until it fits like a bespoke suit. “It’s a dance between control and freedom,” Mehta says. “Live music demands flexibility, recorded music gives you precision. You rehearse, you tweak, you sync, but you also leave space for chemistry and surprise.”

There’s plenty of risk, too. Mehta recounts high-stakes moments: a song gone wrong, a power outage mid-show, models striding on in silence, and somehow saving the scene. But ask her, and she’ll point to the standout moments. “Audiences remember a good show for the fashion. But an unforgettable show? That’s because the music made them feel something.”

Crafting Memory

Ultimately, the anatomy of a great runway score is about translation. Musicians must learn the designer’s language, absorb the collection’s mood and heartbeat, and channel it through sound. Whether it’s Rahman’s spiritual orchestration for Vuitton, Pal’s kinetic Indian rhythms for Dior, or Rawal’s personal mark on Sehra and Rawal Da Kurta, every great show needs its sonic storyteller. With each beat, the runway becomes an emotional landscape: tension builds, drama peaks, joy bursts. The music is what gets remembered, replayed in reels, weddings, street style videos, living far beyond the initial applause.

This is what the industry’s insiders understand: a great show isn’t just about spectacle. It’s about immersion. Without good music, a show is flat—just clothes on bodies. With the right sound, design transcends the tangible. It becomes feeling, memory, and movement. It becomes culture.

So, the next time you catch yourself getting swept up by a runway show, whether it’s the drama of McQueen, the spectacle of CHANEL, Rawal’s infectious energy, or Dior’s poetic fusion, think twice before crediting the moment solely to the clothes. Notice how the music shifts the air, how the soundtrack turns anticipation into thrill and makes every look hit harder. In fashion, great music isn’t a luxury; it’s essential.

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