Tyla Puts a "Modern Twist" on Y2K Fashion in Gap's Spring Campaign

We spoke to the Grammy-winning musician about throwback trends, her daring Grammys look, and Gap's latest campaign.

Fashion can be many things — performance, self-expression, even provocation — a fact Grammy-winning singer Tyla understands well. As a performer, the 22-year-old loves “playing around and making looks that people want to recreate” but tells InStyle that what she loves most of all is comfort. This juxtaposition between cozy and slay has shaped Tyla’s on-stage aesthetic, informed the fashion trends of decades past she’s most drawn to, and exists at the heart of her latest fashion venture: starring in Gap’s Spring 2024 campaign.

“The 2000s and [late] '90s are the eras prior to this one that I'm mostly drawn to,” Tyla says, “but I also like taking it and switching it up so it's still very new and fresh and of this time.” Specific trends beloved by the small but mighty vocalist include low-rise bottoms, mini-skirts, and statement boots.

While all these trends frequently appear in her red carpet and performance looks, the latter has become something of a fashion signature for Tyla, a fact the singer embraces. “People speak about the boots that I wear and how big I go, how tall, how fluffy. I love taking it to the next level.”

While reaching back through time might be a daunting prospect for a young rising star, Tyla is game to experiment with fashion with a boldness she’s developed over time. “A few years back, I wouldn't say I was afraid, but I knew my style and what I liked,” she says, adding that, as her career progressed, “I learned that the possibilities are basically endless, look wise, and that excites me.”

Tyla also uses style as a vehicle for storytelling in her music, too. “I'm always thinking about eras and matching fashion with the music,” she says. “I love making outfits and looks that I would've liked seeing when I was small. I see them as characters. I always have.”

This character-driven approach to fashion is present in Tyla’s latest project, starring in Gap’s 2024 Spring campaign that, much like the artist’s “early aughts with a modern twist” aesthetic, blends throwback vibes with modern flair. “My look in this campaign was a bit more stripped back, very beautiful and easy and clean,” Tyla shares. Her character, she explains, “was probably the girl next door, the innocent, the quiet girl.”

Though Tyla’s campaign persona might be more wallflower than pop icon, Gap’s Spring 2024 campaign is teeming with music. Set in a dance studio to Jungle’s “Back on 74,” a song that went viral in 2023, the campaign featured Tyla and a troupe of dancers wearing looks that capture erstwhile and remerging trends while also emphasizing the pop star’s biggest fashion must-have: comfort and ease of movement. Choreographed by Shay Latukolan and directed by Jungle’s own J Lloyd and Charlie Di  Placido, the electric feel is inspired by the "Back on 74" music video that garnered over a billion views.

Stripped back and utility-focused, though it might be, the campaign boasts a clear sartorial point of view. The ‘fits worn by Tyla and co-starring dancers, comprised of pieces from the Gap Linen collection, feature low-rise baggy bottoms and close-fitting crop tops with a postmodern feel that evokes the sartorial staples of hip-hop and pop music from the '90s and early aughts. The accessories, including headscarves and belly chains, are also a bit of a throwback, which aligns with Tyla’s favorite performance pieces.

“I love performing in a boot. That's definitely a must-have, but also something around the waist for movement,” she says. “People know my dance style and when I shake, there needs to be something there moving to assist with the illusion.”

As for what looks we can expect from the burgeoning music sensation, Tyla plans to continue wearing whatever excites her, pinpointing a recent daring matching set as the blueprint.

“For Grammy week, I was wearing this outfit that had bones and even my mother was like, 'What are you wearing?' It was just so exciting to just put on and show people, 'Yes, I'm wearing bones, and yes, I look good wearing bones.'”

Catch Tyla in Gap’s Spring 2024 campaign online today and across social channels today, and shop the Gap Linen collection online and in-store. 

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Read the original article on InStyle.