With fashion and style being one of the key components to a musician’s aesthetic and image, fashion is as much an expression as the music which they create. Because of this, a musician’s wardrobe is something that is part of their identity as much as the art that they create.
Having been worn by many of the alternative subcultures over numerous decades, the creeper has an iconic silhouette which has been adopted by many artists, whether because of subculture-inspired music, or to make a statement, whether it be part of their daily outfit or used when performing.
The Underground Creeper has been worn by many artists with this notion in mind. Below is just a handful of the many musicians who have worn the Underground Creeper.
BACKYARD BABIES
The Swedish Backyard Babies, formed in 1989, inspired by the glam-rock scene of the late 80s, over the course of 30 years have experimented and transitioned between modern rock trends over the decades. With their heavy roots within the rock scene, the band have always stayed true to the genre and the aesthetic that has influenced them, both in music and in fashion, hence why the band have naturally worn creepers over their career, due to the footwear’s history within the rock scene.
BAMBAM of GOT7
Kunpimook Bhuwakul, better known on stage by the stage name “BamBam”, is the rapper in the infamous KPOP boyband GOT7, Similar to other K-pop bands their fashion and style is a series of coordination of pieces and colours with other members of the band. With street fashion being such a staple of culture within South Korea, the band ‘s aesthetic is a culmination of street trends with high end couture, whether smart or casual, with the creeper and its iconic silhouette being implemented into the mix.
BEABADOOBEE
The indie rock artist Beebadoobee, known for her grunge-inspired bedroom pop with influence from the post-punk scene, has always made her aesthetic a reflection of her music taste and influence. Growing up on 90s rock and post-punk, the London-based singer has already experimented heavily within her music career, making nods in musical style to those that informed her. With heavy fashion influence from the 2000s, Bea’s fashion is a mix of girl-next-door meets punk, with laid back fashion and a grunge flare.
BEYONCÉ
Beyonce Knowles-Carter, better known by just “Beyonce”, one of the most recognizable figures both in pop culture and contemporary music rose to fame in the 90s due to being the lead member of Destiny’s Child, before going on to bloom with her solo career and being named artist of the decade by Billboard. The chart-topping artist has been known for making as many waves within the fashion world than the music world. Even as a teenager she has never shied away from experimenting with her fashion sense, but it was not until the early to mid-2000s that she took the fashion world by storm wearing everything from double denim to premium couture.
BLACK HONEY
With music that could easily accompany a western-inspired move, the Tarantino-esque Black Honey embody the 70s; not only through their fusion of indie rock, that ranges from disco to western showdown, but through their aesthetic. With such a distinctive style, Izzy Phillips, the lead vocalist, has become a fashion icon in her own right, making fashion statements during Fashion week, in line with the outrageousness of Lady Gaga, yet having the everyday flare of a young Debbie Harry.
CHAELIN LEE
The South Korean rapper, Chaelin Lee, under stage name “CL”, who exploded onto the KPOP scene at the age of 17, was the lead vocalist in one of the biggest KPOP girl bands’2NE1’ and has only gone onto great success as a solo artist. The South Korean Rapper is seen as a fashion icon within her own right, with Fashion designer Jeremy Scott describing her as his Muse, with a loud and bold experimental fashion sense, she has been labelled as more influential than Beyonce by Time magazine.
ENTER SHIKARI
The electrifying Enter Shikari, the 4-piece heavy rock band, are known for their metalcore origins and extreme experimentation. The band, made up of frontman Roughton “Rou” Reynolds, Guitarist Rory Clewlow, Chris Batten, and drummer Rob Rolfe do not shy away from creating a fusion of musical genres and styles accompanied by the harsh vocals of Rou, with lyricism critiquing social, economic, and political issues. The band’s fashion has been as diverse as their music, with a wardrobe that has transitioned over each era of the band’s musical career and genre experimentation.
GOLDBLADE
Goldblade, the project of John Robb, frontman of The Membranes, was formed in 1995 after The Membranes split before reuniting again in 2009. The band, led by Robb, were heavily influenced by the punk rock scene and the DIY ethic that surrounded it. Because of this, the music and fashion of the band were a mix of blues and punk rock, with punk inspired looks that were authentic due to Robb’s involvement within the punk scene himself. Just like many punks, the creeper was adopted by the band as one of the staple pieces of their wardrobe.
KID KAPICHI
The punk-minded, alt rock group Kid Kapichi, with Jack Wilson on lead guitar and vocals, Ben Beetham on guitar, Eddie Lewis on bass and George MacDonald on drums. Comparable in sound to Slaves and in nature to Idles, Kid Kapichi are a heavy-hitting band with their roaring vocals and ferocious guitar and heavy drum driven tracks. With lyricism that does not shy away from commenting and critiquing British social and political issues, their fashion has been something that is reflective of the state of mind that they have, wearing classic British brands, and a fusion of skinhead and punk inspired style, with men’s creepers being their go-to shoe when tearing up the stage.
KYARY PAMYU PAMYU
Starting her career as a model for Harajuku Fashion, Kyary Pamyu Pamyu, quickly became the most popular Harajuku fashion model, before turning towards music. The model turned Japanese Pop Star released her debut “MOSHI MOSHI HARIJUKU” in 2011 to great success. With her status in the fashion world, she has become an icon within Japan and across the world due to her unique fashion at the forefront of Japanese fashion culture.
LADY GAGA
Lady Gaga, real name Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known for her rebellious attitude, is not afraid to wear conspicuous outfits. Since the early days of her music career, Gaga has used her style to stand apart from the rest of the pop scene. The boldness of her outfits is something that has become part of her persona, whether in controversy or shock, the over the top decadence is something that has been renowned in pop culture and the fashion world. A one off pair of double x triple sole women’s creepers from Underground being a highlight.
MILEY CYRUS
Another pop star known for making a fashion statement is Miley Cyrus, the Disney star turned pop icon. Similarly, it was the 2010s and onwards where in a tonal shift and image change, Miley Cyrus’ wardrobe and music was something that was on pop culture’s radar, in the same steps as her pop culture peers, Cyrus went from the girl next door look to carving out her own style of bold and statement outfits.
OLLY ALEXANDER
The lead singer of Years and Years, and star of ‘It’s a Sin’, Olly Alexander, is known for his flamboyant fashion, and becoming an icon in the fashion world. Always known for blurring the lines of gendered fashion, in the same vein as Bowie during the 70s, the singer has become a fashion icon in his own right by not only pushing the boundaries but subverting it in his own way. As described by himself at the 2021 Brits “I just can’t go on stage without a creeper!”, with the artist being a profound lover of the footwear.
PALE WAVES
The Manchester-hailing Pale Waves, the goth-inspired, synthpop band are renowned for their romance-inspired lyricism and traditionally new wave and grunge inspired aesthetic. With heavy influence from the post-punk new wave scene, both in appearance and song-writing, the group have worn creepers ever since the band’s inception, due to the shoe’s popularity within the subculture that they heavily derive from. The band wore them as early as their debut single and music video ‘Television Romance’.
REPUBLICA
During the brit-pop era of the 90s, Republica, the indie rock group, formed to create something that was closer in musical genre to the 80s. This led to a lot of influence from the 80s dance scene, including the Pet Shop Boys and New Order. Despite this nature to their music, their fashion was something which they used to set them apart from that scene, wearing alternative fashion inspired by 80s fashion trends, Saffron, the lead singer, is known to be a heavy wearer of creepers since the band’s inception.
RIHANNA
The pop superstar Rihanna, with hits charting all the way back to her debut in 2005, has always been seen as influential in the fashion world, due to her nature not to dress as what is on trend, but dressing for herself. Since the 2010s and the creeper was reignited within the fashion world, Rihanna has been a lover and wearer of them since, with controversy even happening due to the pair that she wore on 2011’s X Factor, the shoe has been as special to her to the point where she decided to create her own line of creepers.
THE VAMPS
The Vamps, one of the biggest boy bands around, have had hit after hit since their debut in 2014 with ‘Meet the Vamps’. The boys have always been ones to dress with what is on trend over the years, however, have worn creepers since the early days of their career. As the band have matured and progressed as artists, their wardrobe has followed, with more experimentation in higher fashion and streetwear.
YUNGBLUD
Ever since making an impression on the indie scene in 2017 with his playful charm and contentious, catchy music, Dominic Harrison, under the stage name YUNGBLUD, has only leaped from one success to another. With his most recent album ‘Weird!’ having reached number #1 in the official UK charts, since his debut single ‘King Charles’ the alt-pop star has worn creepers throughout his career, with them arguably becoming synonymous as part of his image.
ZZ TOP
Formed in Texas in 1970, the now legendary classic rock band ZZ Top, made up of Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill, and Frank Beard, have been together for over 50 years. The band, which call themselves “that little ol’ band from Texas”, have gained mass notoriety and fame, whether it be from their deep blues americana-centric rock to the experimental grungy blues rock which their music has coalesced into. Being instantly recognisable from look alone, the band’s aesthetic comes down to hillbilly rockstars. With their music being inspired by the blues and early rock of the 60s, creepers have been a natural footwear to them due to its roots in rock ‘n’ roll culture.
If you wanna rock a pair of Underground Creepers try the selection from our store:
Underground Soundwave presents an ongoing series of reports on emerging and established bands with close-up Q&As, new release reviews and gig reports with a special emphasis on supporting diversity in music, women in music, independent labels and venues and the local music scene.
Brought to you by Underground – the brand of the Original Allgender Creeper shoe and other British subculture styles.
