Popstars Have Found A New Uniform

Music and fashion have gone hand in hand for as long as there has been music and fashion. Over the years, various styles and brands have attached themselves to artists, from Tina Turner’s fringe dresses, to Destiny’s Child in Tommy Hilfiger, to the Mugler catsuits that remain almost unavoidable on performance stages. These days, though, the two seem more interconnected than ever before, to the point where what an artist is wearing on stage is almost just as important as what they’re singing. And now, the music industry seems to have a new favorite designer, and this one may be a little shocking.

Chopova Lowena, the London-based brand started by Emma Chopova and Laura Lowena, has been popular for a few years now, gaining a name for themselves with their unique takes on traditional Bulgarian dressing, and use of deadstock fabrics to make one-of-a-kind pieces. In about five years since debuting, the brand has become a street style favorite, their edgy, pleated plaid skirts a crowd favorite. And now, those same skirts have become the go-to piece for the musician set.

Chopova Lowena’s popularity has been helped, in part, by the ‘90s and Y2K resurgence—for the same reason Avril Lavigne felt it an appropriate time to release a new album. Yes, the Paris Hilton-style LA valley girl Y2K aesthetic is back in, but so is grunge, and everyone is catching on, even the pop girls.

Dua Lipa has proven to be a fan of the label, wearing their skirts multiple times, most recently posting a photo on Instagram in one earlier this week. It was just a day later that Ava Max followed suit, sharing a promotional photo for her new album, Maybe You’re The Problem, on Instagram in a Chopova Lowena skirt.

This endorsement from the music industry is nothing new for the brand. Madonna has been spotted in Chopova Lowena, and Willow, who has never met a pleated skirt she didn’t like, wore the brand in her music video for “transparentsoul” last year. Maggie Rogers is wearing the skirt in her recent music video for “That’s Where I Am” and Rosalía has also been seen in the brand, albeit not in the pleated skirt, but in their printed spandex shorts and top.

While Chopova Lowena is already incredibly popular for its still young age, it’s probably safe to say their profile is only going up. Not only do they have the sign of approval from many of the music industry’s biggest stars, but specifically King Midas herself, Lipa, who has proven to have the ability to launch a brand with one simple photo. At this point, it’s surprising to go a week without seeing the skirt on your Instagram feed, and we can bet Chopova Lowena is only just getting started.