Music and fashion fuse at New York fashion shows

NEW YORK, Feb 9 (Reuters) Under tents in Manhattan's Bryant Park, disc jockey Javier Peral is mixing beats for an exclusive New York gathering, but sweaty hipsters won't be dancing to his soundtrack.

Instead, willowy models draped in Luca Orlandi's gold-plated fabrics and all-white winter outfits will strut down the catwalk to the sound of the Klaxons, the English new rave and psychedelic pop group.

Like sommeliers who select wine to heighten the taste of haute cuisine, DJs select cutting edge music to enhance the collections showcased by designers at New York's fashion week.

Music and fashion aficionados say the sound must complement the collections to underscore the designer's message and sell the clothes.

''The music becomes an extra element of the collection,'' Peral said. ''Music is one of the most important ingredients.'' Peral, who has mixed music for 12 years for labels like Gucci and Ralph Lauren, said Orlandi's Luca Luca show required a ''more futuristic'' sound than the ''pop-y and sugary'' radio-friendly soundtracks used for previous collections.

''It had a tough metallic sound but was not necessarily sci-fi,'' Peral said. ''The clothes speak for themselves, it just makes the show more energetic.'' Anthony Legouri, a buyer for label Henri Bendel doubted the music directly influenced whether he would buy the clothes, but it did ''send a message about how the designer is evolving and changing.'' For others, like hip-hop fashion label Baby Phat, the relationship between the clothes and the music is more closely intertwined.

''Our line is for the girl who fuses fashion with the hip-hop culture she lives in,'' said public relations director BJ Coleman.

''It is the perfect mix of hip-hop and fashion which ultimately translates to our consumer ... and sells the clothes.'' The Baby Phat show, which featured the latest in hip-hop and rap, including a remixed ''Walk It Out'' by rapper DJ Unk and Justin Timberlake's ''My Love,'' was a hit with the audience.

''The music was perfect, especially the first song, which really set the tone,'' said Mike Muse, a music industry executive at the show. ''Music and fashion go hand-in-hand.'' While DJ-mixed selections were by far the most popular, some shows opted for live music. Actress Zooey Deschanel sang ''Dream a Little Dream of Me'' at designer Erin Fetherston's show.

In Manhattan's Garment District, contemporary violinist Owen Pallett, who is about to tour with English indie rock band Bloc Party, performed an original composition.

Pallet said the sound of his violin plugged into a sampler generating soft beats complemented the elegant, geometric-inspired dresses models displayed at Canadian designer Jeremy Laing's show.

''It's pretty surprising that you would get a solo violinist at a fashion show,'' said Pallett, 27.

''He (Laing) works in a classical tradition that is highly contemporary,'' said Pallet, comparing his music project called ''Final Fantasy'' to Laing's new fashion line.

But whatever is the latest in musical trends, it is difficult to come up with new beats not played at the other shows, DJ Rene Arsenault said.

''Everybody is always looking for the next big thing,'' he said.

REUTERS MS PM0826