Concert-Core Isn’t Just a Trend – It’s a Playbook

Concerts are no longer just about the music. They’ve become multi-sensory moments for self-expression, storytelling, and content curation. It’s not just about watching the show – it’s about becoming part of it. 

And after the show wraps, the content lives on: post-show photo dumps, tagged outfits and GRWMs have become part of the ritual, while Reddit threads decode tour outfits in forensic detail.  

It’s a shift in fan behaviour – more creative, expressive and intentional.  

So, what is concert-core? 

Concert-core is about showing up for the artist – not just as a fan, but as a visual extension of the tour itself. It’s fashion as tribute, storytelling, and cultural signal. Outfits are built to reflect an album era, a lyric, a vibe. No detail is too small. 

We’ve seen fans dressing to honour artists for years. But now, the scale – and the style – has levelled up. There’s wardrobe planning months in advance, custom fits made for one night only, and social feeds stacked with inspo, tags, and styling breakdowns. 

Concert-core isn’t about throwing on merch. It’s about entering the world of the artist, and looking the part. 

The cultural backdrop 

This didn’t happen overnight. Concert-core is the natural evolution of a world where personal style is shaped by moments that matter – not seasonal drops – and where concerts are no longer just live events, but launchpads for content, community and creative expression. 

We’re living in the post-Eras Tour era – a space that’s turned getting dressed for a gig into an act of fan devotion. Swifties built entire wardrobes around each album – with over 122k videos on TikTok tagged #ErasTourOutfit – assigning colours, aesthetics and themes to every tour stop. Beyoncé’s Renaissance tour triggered a chrome-and-corset takeover, with fans – and brands – dressing in sync with the show’s bold, high-glamour energy. Sabrina Carpenter’s rise is as much about her sugary, coquette-inspired styling as it is about her vocals, with fans following suit in ribbons, minis and sparkles. 

And then there’s Pitbull. The internet crowned him an unlikely fashion icon as crowds started turning up in full ‘Mr. Worldwide’ uniform – bald caps, black suits and sunglasses, the lot. Brands like Currys even joined the action, sending an employee to one of his shows dressed as Pitbull to promote a global travel adapter. The campaign went viral, proving what this moment does best: turn fan culture into shareable, strategic, culturally fluent content.  

This isn’t just fashion. It’s fandom – and it’s fuelling concert culture. 

This month: Outcast × Cowboy Carter 

Earlier this month, we worked with our client Outcast to engage with the concert-core conversation in a way that felt timely, relevant, and true to the brand. Anchored to Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter tour stop in London, the activation brought together fashion, fandom and cultural context through a focused, creator-led campaign. 

We invited 13 creators to style and share their own take on the concert-core aesthetic, pairing Outcast’s bold DNA with the western influence of the album. From pre-show GRWMs to post-show moments, the content gave audiences something they were already looking for – outfit ideas, inspiration, and a sense of connection. 

It was an example of how brands can show up with audiences, not just around them, and adding value to the experience. 

Why it matters 

Concert-core signals a shift in how audiences engage with artists – and with brands. It’s participatory. Emotional. Purposeful. And it creates a rich space for brands to listen and serve their communities. 

For brands in fashion, beauty and beyond, the opportunity is clear: tap into the cultural cues fans are already responding to – and deliver in a way that feels native, not opportunistic. 

That might look like: 

• Design themed capsule pieces aligned with tour dates and aesthetics 

• Tap into creators that thrive in the intersection of fashion and music 

• Craft useful content – styling tips, item sourcing, product links, look-prep stories 

• Stage immersive activations that customers can live and share 

What brands need to remember 

Concert-core isn’t a costume party. It’s connection – worn with pride. The most successful brands in this space are the ones that move at fan-speed, predict their community’s needs and deliver on creative imagination. The most iconic brand moments don’t interrupt culture — they become it.

Looking to tap into the right moments? Let’s talk: hello@b-theagency