Artist merchandise into fashion – Don Diablo/HEXAGON
The distribution of artist merchandise has always been an integral aspect of the music industry. As it gives fans the opportunity to represent their favorite artists through clothing, understandably the industry has been growing exponentially year after year. An artist who owns perhaps one of the electronic music industry’s most influential clothing lines is Dutch sensation Don Diablo, who in 2015 released his first few pieces of merchandise, each item representing his newly founded label HEXAGON.
The store’s quick expansion
After releasing a few select items including t-shirts, caps, and pullovers, the clothing line quickly expanded to include bomber jackets, leather jackets, flags, bandanas, stickers, patches, and even socks. As the shop expanded, so did the demand, and each time an item was released, it sold out, truly symbolizing the significance of the artistry and the brand. Before long, the branded items could be seen being worn by supporters at all major festivals, carrying Don Diablo’s HEXAGON brand around the world for all to see. But what enticed his audience to buy into the brand so quickly?
The appeal of the brand
Unquestionably, the forward-thinking design of the items had a huge part to play in the success of the clothing line. Making high quality, impeccably designed items affordable for the masses, the clothing had a widespread appeal, becoming desirable for all, rather than just the die-hard HEXAGON fans. The line quickly became a uniform for supporters, and fans were quick to buy into the brand. Another major factor in propelling the line to success was its ability to replicate Don Diablo’s signature look. Known for his attention to detail and pioneering style, he quickly became a style symbol on and off stage, with fans eager to recreate the outfits worn during his performances. Before each item was released to the store, it would be seen being worn by Don Diablo on stage months beforehand, which created an even higher anticipation ahead of each item’s release. Each item of clothing never strayed from the core brand, which predominantly focussed on black and white items, and always represented an item that Don Diablo would readily wear on stage, ensuring that each item remained just as desirable as the last.
The power of the logo
In contrast with other artist merchandise on the market, the HEXAGON merchandise remained focussed around the iconic logo, reducing clutter by focussing on dramatic imagery rather than text, creating the centerpiece for each item. In fact, the logo became so recognizable, that the merchandise no longer needed to carry Don Diablo’s own name in order to represent his brand. The power of a recognizable logo is truly the key to releasing a successful merchandise line, as it builds even more influence behind the artist’s brand.
The potential advertising
The advertising power of successful merchandise has absolutely no limitation. From photos to social media posts to wearing the merchandise in the street, fans quickly become an army of brand ambassadors, carrying the artist’s name and branding around the world for all to see. Particularly at festivals and events, the wearing of merchandise can be a highly influential marketing tool, quickly spreading the brand to an audience of potential fans.
Undoubtedly, if utilized correctly, a clothing line can be one of the most powerful tools accessible to artists. Not only a source of income, the clothes themselves can take an artist’s brand all over the world, and can spread the word in a truly positive manner. In the current climate, being a musician is no longer limited to making music; there are a number of other projects that can easily fall under the same umbrella. With influential clothing lines owned by musicians popping up all over the globe and pushing brands even further, why limit your creativity to producing music?