Daft Punk: The Fashion of the Future

When Daft Punk took the world by storm with their avant-garde artistry in the early ‘90s, they inspired more than a new wave of modern music- they revolutionized the way artists express themselves through fashion.

Known for their futuristic helmets and overall eccentric style, Daft Punk has embodied their own sense of style throughout their time as artists. Today, we will be taking a closer look at what exactly defined their look throughout the past few decades.

Before the emergence of the robot helmets we all equate as the face of Daft Punk, they were photographed in 1997 wearing both plastic purge-like masks and carnival masks.

The year of 2001 marked the debut of the helmets that would stick with them for the remainder of their career. Created during a collaboration between LED FX and Alterian Inc., the helmets allowed the band’s music to be in focus, rather than who they were as people.

In 2006, Daft Punk flew to the U.S. to perform at Coachella, where they could be seen wearing what had become their iconic look during this era: sleek leather jackets. At this point, they were at the very beginning of the road to developing their signature style.

Throughout the next few years, the two could be seen branching out into new aspects of fashion. Their outfits began to consist of more experimental designs and patterns, especially in their 2013 photoshoot with Saint Laurent. There, they could be seen wearing all black suits embroidered with sequin, paired with sleek versions of their robot masks.

The same year, they were included in several photoshoots and had a few memorable public appearances- one being the Monaco Grand Prix. Wearing black race suits lined with gold highlights, the French duo stood out as the best dressed there.

My personal favorite Daft Punk look was at the 2017 Grammy Awards, which was also their final performance as a band. They wore black suits with intricate designs in gold and silver, along with long capes and knee-high boots.

Although they are no longer together, Daft Punk’s legacy in fashion continues to inspire people from across the world, and will likely do so for generations to come.

References

Robinson, P. (2013, May 16). The style evolution of Daft Punk. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/fashion/fashion-blog/2013/may/16/daft-punk-helmet-robot-style-evolution

Salamone, L. (2023, May 12). Daft Punk and fashion. Nss Magazine. https://www.nssmag.com/en/fashion/25343/daft-punk-fashion

Whatley, J. (2021, February 22). The reason why Daft Punk wore helmets. Far out Magazine. https://faroutmagazine.co.uk/why-daft-punk-wore-helmets-reason/

Graphic by Reese Miller