How Female Artists Are Rewriting Underground Fashion

Fashion has always been more than just a fabric; it is evolution, self-expression, and storytelling. In today’s underground music scene, female artists are setting the style agenda faster than mainstream designers can keep up. From Rico Nasty’s punk princess energy to PinkPantheress’s lovely Y2K nostalgia and Tyla’s Afrofuturist charm, these artists blend their sound with their style. Each one transforms personal fashion into an aesthetic that shapes what the underground looks and feels like. They are redefining what femininity is, influence, and individuality with every performance and post.

Rico Nasty: The Punk Princess

Rico Nasty performs at the Fillmore Silver Spring in April 2023, wearing a hot-pink punk-inspired ensemble blending gothic and DIY elements—photo by Kyle Gustafson / Washington Post.

If there is one artist who turns every stage into a fashion statement, it is Rico Nasty. Her style is not just bold; it is explosive. In her older looks, she fuses gothic punk and playful femininity, wearing a distressed pink outfit trimmed with black fur and lace. Every piece of her wardrobe feels like it was made with intent, transforming her performance into visual art that heavily amplifies her sound and her message.

Rico’s aesthetic mirrors her music, which collides trap, punk, and rage into something entirely her own. It is raw, emotional, and authentic, echoing her belief that femininity can be powerful, chaotic, and expressive all at once. Through her image and her sound, she has built a brand around self-expression, inspiring a generation of women to challenge beauty norms that once limited them.

Her collaborations with Marc Jacobs and Heaven have proven how underground fashion can influence high-end design. Rico’s fearless approach to clothing has pushed the boundaries of streetwear and luxury alike, making her a style leader that extends beyond music. As she once said in an interview, “Like my sound, my fashion has layers. You can see rage, softness, and confidence all at once.” She does not follow trends; she creates them. This allows her to immerse herself into what the underground stands for.

“Like her sound, which combines elements of punk, hip hop, guitar rock, bad gyal pop and sugar trap, the rapper’s aesthetic draws on the various worlds she inhabits … I’m at the point in my career where I’m doing stuff for myself.” — Rico Nasty, Dazed Digital, 2022

PinkPantheress: Digital Nostalgia

PinkPantheress wearing a camo-print skirt and faux-fur jacket from the Heaven by Marc Jacobs campaign, blending Y2K streetwear and vintage softness. (Photo by Harley Weir for Heaven by Marc Jacobs, 2022.)

PinkPantheress represents the softer side of underground fashion. Her aesthetic reflects a balance of vulnerability and edge, rooted in early 2000s nostalgia but reimagined for the present. In her Heaven by Marc Jacobs campaign, she wears a faux-fur jacket with a camo-print skirt and a gold-lettered top, blending cuteness with utilitarian cool. The result is effortless and self-assured, a style that says more through understatement than excess.

PinkPantheress’s style echoes the emotional tone of her music, which is intimate, reflective, and slightly detached from reality. Each outfit feels like a snapshot of coming-of-age, mixing school-core silhouettes with thrifted textures and muted tones. Her fashion tells the same story her songs do: a silent defiance wrapped in sweetness. Across TikTok and Depop, her fans replicate what they call “vintage realism,” a style that embraces imperfection and individuality. She proves that in the underground, fashion does not have to be loud to make a statement; it just has to feel true.

In a Vogue interview, PinkPantheress explained, “I actually think I dress very normal. I just don’t dress in a way that people think a pop star should dress.” That mindset perfectly captures why her influence resonates. She has made authenticity fashionable again, bringing back the Y2K aesthetic not as a trend, but as a form of personal storytelling.

“I actually think I dress very normal — I just don’t dress in a way that people think a pop star should dress.” — PinkPantheress, Vogue, May 14 2025.

Bktherula: The Futurist

Bktherula photographed in oversized denim, a yellow jacket, and blue cap for Wonderland Magazine’s “The Multiverse Mind of a Rockstar.” Photo by Ibra Ake, 2024.

Bktherula dresses the way her music sounds which is bold, experimental, and untethered to any single genre. Her approach to fashion blends classic streetwear with futuristic energy, creating looks that feel like they were sent from another world. In her Wonderland Magazine feature, she stands in front of a truck wearing loose, ripped jeans, a cropped white tank, and a bright yellow jacket. The outfit is both tough and imaginative, representing her ability to merge real-world grit with dreamlike creativity.

Her fashion mirrors her artistic mindset. As she told Wonderland, “I’m not from this planet. I want to make things people can’t even imagine yet.” That quote defines her aesthetic and her worldview. Every outfit, like every track she releases, feels like a glimpse into her multiverse. Bktherula’s style challenges ideas about what femininity should look like in hip-hop. She embraces androgyny and surrealism, choosing silhouettes that are loose, layered, and often genderless. Her fashion rejects labels, encouraging self-expression as a form of power.

Through her clothing, Bktherula shows that the future of underground fashion belongs to artists who build worlds around their art. She moves effortlessly between softness and strength, proving that originality still matters in a world where imitation is easy. Her look is not about attention but the intention, and that is what makes her one of the most visually distinct voices in the underground scene.

“I want to make something bigger than this earth. I want to make something that’s never been seen before.” — Bktherula

Tyla and Afrofuturism

Tyla showcases her signature fusion of African-inspired luxury and early-2000s nostalgia in three standout looks from 2024. (Photos by Lexie Moreland for WWD, Gotham/GC Images, and Vogue Runway, 2024.)

Tyla’s fashion bridges cultures and eras, merging African creativity with global pop aesthetics. Her style combines metallic textures, sculpted silhouettes, and early-2000s details, creating a futuristic yet familiar identity that feels unmistakably her own. Whether she is performing, attending a red carpet, or walking a runway, Tyla transforms each appearance into a celebration of African excellence and innovation.

In her most iconic looks, she balances regality and playfulness. A silver star-embellished set channels the boldness of stage performance, while her butterfly-shaped top nods to Y2K femininity. Her white fur and lace ensemble radiate opulence while remaining connected to her South African heritage. Through these combinations, Tyla has turned global fashion into a space where African artistry thrives, proving that cultural authenticity and high fashion can coexist.

In an interview with Vogue South Africa, she said, “I love showing the world that African girls can be elegant, edgy, and futuristic all at once. It’s in our nature to innovate.” That sentiment captures the essence of her fashion journey. Tyla does not just represent Africa in the global spotlight; she redefines what global luxury looks like. Her confidence and creativity push back against the Western fashion narrative, proving that the future of style is multicultural and inclusive.

“I love showing the world that African girls can be elegant, edgy, and futuristic all at once. It’s in our nature to innovate.” — Tyla

Why Their Style Matters

Fashion is not just about clothing; it is about innovation. These artists are rewriting who gets to be stylish, visible, and influential in modern music culture. Rico Nasty’s punk edge challenges the mainstream image of femininity. PinkPantheress transforms quiet introspection into a statement of individuality. Bktherula redefines streetwear through futurism and fluid identity. Tyla brings the global underground to the center stage, merging cultural storytelling with modern luxury.

Together, they prove that underground fashion is no longer a subculture; it is the source. Mainstream brands are no longer leading these trends and are now chasing them. Each of these women stands at the intersection of sound and style, proving that authenticity is the new standard of influence.

Underground fashion thrives on honesty, and right now, women are leading that charge. Rico Nasty, PinkPantheress, Bktherula, and Tyla are more than musicians; they are curators of visual worlds. Their looks inspire designers, shape global trends, and tell stories about confidence, rebellion, and creativity.

From punk rage to pastel nostalgia, futuristic streetwear to Afrofuturist elegance, these women remind us that fashion is more than an accessory to music. In the underground, style is not about fitting in. It is about creating a world where you belong.

References

Ake, I. (2024, July 5). Bktherula: The multiverse mind of a rockstar. Wonderland Magazine. https://www.wonderlandmagazine.com/2024/07/05/bktherula/

Canje, J. (2022, July 1). How Rico Nasty crafted her avant-emo look. Dazed Digital. https://www.dazeddigital.com/beauty/article/56440/1/how-rico-nasty-crafted-her-avant-emo-look-beauty

Moreland, L. (2024, November 4). Tyla at the CFDA Fashion Awards 2024. WWD. https://wwd.com/fashion-news/fashion-scoops/tyla-cfda-fashion-awards-2024-red-carpet-1236078235/

Vogue South Africa. (2024, March 12). Tyla on embracing African elegance in global fashion. https://www.vogue.co.za

Vogue. (2025, May 14). PinkPantheress on individuality and redefining pop stardom. https://www.vogue.com/article/pinkpantheress-fancy-that-interview

Washington Post. (2023, April 24). Rico Nasty brings punk chaos to the Fillmore Silver Spring. Photo by Kyle Gustafson. https://www.washingtonpost.com/entertainment/music/rico-nasty-review-fillmore-silver-spring/2023/04/24/