The SS24 Trend Report, Starring Empress Of

“Honestly? I got into fashion because I wanted to feel confident on stage,” says LA-based musician Lorely Rodriguez, who’s better known to her fans as Empress Of. As we meet for a cup of tea – following a “beautiful blur” of a gig at London’s iconic Jazz Café in Camden and a fitting for JW Anderson’s London Fashion Week show – Rodriguez’s candor never slips. “It’s a very vulnerable thing to get up on stage and sing songs about all sorts of feelings whilst moving around and having your photo taken,” she says. “Especially when that photo then lives everywhere on the internet.”

Heartbreak and disappointment are the feelings Rodriguez is opening up about on her silky new album, For Your Consideration, but in a whimsical way that plays with camp, fantasy and the glamour of Hollywood. “I was in love with a director who was announcing his ‘For Your Consideration’ campaign for the Oscars,” she shares. “He took me up on a hill and said he was emotionally unavailable,” she adds, revealing that she went into the studio that same day and penned a song about the encounter. “It’s funny… because the album is so flirty and promiscuous – the heartbreak songs aren’t heartbroken,” she says, admitting that the experience created the opportunity to explore broader themes around love and sex in her music. On several of the album’s bilingual tracks (in English and Spanish), Rodriguez’s voice is coolly layered to serve as drum beats, the bass and keyboard lines, while ASMR breathing surfaces throughout. “For the ASMR on this record, I was really inspired by the composer Caroline Shaw, who makes all these different sounds with her mouth,” she says. “But, in terms of all-time influences, Kate Bush, Björk, and pop divas like Mariah Carey inspire my work.”

The mention of pop divas brings the conversation straight back onto the topic of fashion – particularly how Rodriguez views clothing as a vehicle for her music and a way to carve out a strong identity. “So many artists have done it: David Bowie in platforms, Bruce Springsteen in blue jeans, and Cher in Bob Mackie,” she says. For Rodriguez, Miley Cyrus’s viral turn at the Grammys in beaded Bob Mackie couture from 2002 was one of those buzzy moments where the worlds of fashion and music perfectly collide. “Her performance and the dress gave me Tina Turner energy – and, on top of Tina’s music, I always admired her amazing legs!” she shares. “I decided that I’m going to channel Tina in my ‘short skirt dance era’ that I’m in with this new record.”

Read on to discover more of Rodriguez’s thoughts on style for SS24.

“The leather in Bottega Veneta’s collections is so stunning. I could just feel the level of craftsmanship when I put this dress on. Bottega’s bags are always immaculate, and this maxi echoed that in the way that it just felt like a really well-made item of clothing. To be honest, I was a little nervous when I first saw the minty, pistachio-green color, but it really complemented my complexion. I am trying to build my closet up with more elevated staple pieces that I’ve never really had before – ones that I can wear just as often as loose-fitting jeans. Initially, I thought this dress was more for special occasions but, you know what, I would wear it anywhere.”

“I do like wearing bold colors – and this blue look from Burberry felt great. Something so bold makes me feel like a songstress. When it comes to styling bright primary shades, I would usually just tie my hair back, or slick it into a bun, because I think you need to create some kind of balance. I wouldn’t take this idea of balance too seriously, though – I’m in this era of having fun with my image and experimenting a bit more. I just love clothes and I’ve been enjoying working closely with my stylist, Chris Horan. I’ve never been cheeky or playful on my album artwork before, but we had fun referencing David LaChapelle’s photos from the late ’90s and early 2000s. Fashion is a form of expression to me – just like music is.”

“I was so happy to get an invite to Jonathan Anderson’s show during London Fashion Week because I’m very into what he does at JW Anderson – and at Loewe. I especially like his playfulness. I loved the feathers around these JW Anderson pants and how they gave me a waist. When you’re not sample size, you can sometimes see something on a hanger and think, ‘That’s beautiful, but what is it actually going to look like on?’ – and these pants really surprised me. The volume made everything from my waist up feel a bit smaller. The sportiness of the tank made me feel comfortable, too – which is something I think everyone wants to feel.”

“In my head, I thought ‘bridal’ when I first saw this beautiful white Christopher Esber dress. I felt regal in it – I would love to sit next to a grand piano wearing it, while someone plays for me as I drink champagne. It had a beautiful undergarment that gave me shape and security, too.”

Empress Of’s new album, For Your Consideration, is released on March 22