Aside from the clothes, the first thing you remember from a legendary fashion show is its soundtrack. Inside 10 Magazine Issue 74, we spotlight 10 musicians and sound engineers who are adept in masterminding catwalk scores that have gone on to become certified fashion moments in their own right. Next up, Benji B.

London-based Benji B has established himself as one of music’s most prolific curators. His expansive catwalk experience has seen him create soundtracks for Phoebe Philo during her Celine tenure and Daniel Lee’s Burberry. Most notably, he was one of Virgil Abloh’s closest collaborators, creating memorable scores for each of the late designer’s Louis Vuitton shows.

What does music bring to a fashion show?

It can sometimes be the most important thing, apart from the clothes themselves. Music can elevate a fashion show but also spoil it. It’s important because there’s an alchemy that happens between set, design, venue, the collection and the music, just like in a movie. Music in the right context is everything and a fashion show is a unique context due to the environment, but also the time span. What is usually on average anything from eight to 15 minutes is a very specific arc of time to play music in and so that is a huge part of the context. It’s a crucial component.

What’s your approach to creating a fashion show soundtrack?

It will always start with a creative dialogue with the creative director. I [need] to understand what the vision of the creative director is, what their vision for this season and show is. I work very much with narratives. I’m less into the idea of a bunch of cool tunes in a space while people walk in a straight line. There’s also nothing wrong with that, but in an ideal scenario it would be much more involved and with much greater intention than just that.

How do you work with a designer?

It differs from individual to individual because everyone’s process is different. The first point of call is to respect and understand that, and be able to adapt to different people’s approaches, because in fashion, when you cut through all of the noise, the creatives are some of the most brilliant people I’ve ever come across. Some people have a very clear idea of the kind of music they want to work with straight away and others will have a mood board. It’s about the narrowing down of possibilities. With every creative director, we start in the same place, which is a crossroads of infinite roads to go down. My goal is to reduce those roads down to maybe three or four and then we start driving down one and if it’s not quite right, we surrender to that, drive back and try another one. But it’s really about reducing, reducing, reducing possibility down into a commitment. And that commitment could be around a musical style, a genre, a singular artist, a musical philosophy.

What makes the perfect finale track?

It’s what you are choosing to leave people with as they get up and run off to the next show. That’s the lasting impression. I like it to have upliftment and tempo. That could be in a BPM way, but it could also be perception. But a tempo that matches an increased tempo in the walk works. A crescendo can often work, so a feeling of an actual finale moment, or you can go the complete other way and let it hang in the space for extra drama.

What musical fashion show moments stand out for you?

One of my favourites was what we call LV3, the third Louis Vuitton show [SS20] I did with Virgil, which was in Place Dauphine. We took over a real square in Paris, all the restaurants and cafés, and the runway was a triangle. I hired the Heritage Orchestra from the UK and got arrangements done of some of mine and Virgil’s favourite songs, then had them perform on this beautiful sunny day in June [2019]. Also Phoebe Philo’s final show at Celine [in 2018]. We did a 100 per cent Mary J. Blige soundtrack, that was great. Another one would have been sadly after Virgil passed when I did a show [in 2022] featuring Tyler, the Creator where I got his work arranged by a famous Brazilian arranger that we loved called Arthur Verocai and it was performed by the Chineke! Orchestra with Gustavo Dudamel conducting and the combination of those four things was a very magical thing to be able to bring to life.

Which designer has the best musical taste?

I only work with creative directors I resonate with. I’m more interested in individual relationships, so it’s never the brand that approaches me, it’s always the person. They all have great taste. But it’s no secret that my best friend and musical brother in so many ways was Virgil Abloh; we were so aligned with music. I think every single day we’d be talking about music, life, work, culture, art, whatever, and we would DJ together.

Taken from 10 Magazine Issue 74 – MUSIC, TALENT, CREATIVE – on newsstands now. Benji wears coat by MARTINE ROSE, jumper by LOUIS VUITTON.

@benjib

THE MUSIC MAKERS
Creative Editor GARTH ALLDAY SPENCER
Text PAUL TONER
Portrait JOSEPH SINCLAIR