Did we need Post Malone's initiation in the fashion system? The former rapper, now country singer, will debut his new brand at PFW

For those who were teenagers in the second half of the 2010s, it’s impossible to forget how Post Malone’s trap was the soundtrack of the first drives after getting a license, of Instagram stories with awkward filters and endless boomerangs, and how Congratulations almost became an anthem of graduation. Yet, nothing remains of those sounds today. Austin Post, in recent years, has decided to turn the page: he has changed his life, sound, and aesthetic, leaving behind the rap chapter that had taken him to the top of global charts, to the Grammys, and to collecting three diamond-certified records. Today, Post Malone is a country artist, walking around in cowboy boots and a hat, and posing for Skims while riding horses, fishing, or chopping wood in a deliberately “Americana” aesthetic. He has left behind the braids often criticized as cultural appropriation, cut down on alcohol consumption in favor of a healthier lifestyle, started collaborating with Taylor Swift and Beyoncé, and is preparing for the debut of his brand at Paris Fashion Week. Such a radical metamorphosis inevitably raises the question: how can someone reinvent their career and branding so effectively?

The key lies in authenticity. Like any repositioning, a brand only works if it’s perceived as genuine. In Post Malone’s case, the shift to country did not come across as forced or opportunistic, but as a natural evolution. Long-time followers already knew that his personal imagination had always been tied to that aesthetic: from his love of beer (especially Bud Light) to his humble, laid-back demeanor, all the way to his voice, naturally tinged with soul and twang, seemingly made for country. Even during his rap phase, there were rock and folk elements, showing that the seeds of this change were already present. In an analysis published by Robot Food, account manager Jed Welsh explained how the Post Malone case serves as a warning for brands, noting how, after the renewed attention on country music following Cowboy Carter, many artists rushed to join the trend, often clumsily and without credibility. In Post Malone’s case, however, the transition was read as gradual and coherent. His story shows that change should never be a sudden sprint, but rather a steady progression built on truths already embedded in one’s identity. From a musician, a change of genre can still feel natural, but fashion is a different ground altogether.

The news, still shrouded in mystery, of Post Malone’s upcoming brand debut inevitably raises some doubts, especially since his ties with the industry so far have been limited to collaborations with brands like Crocs or Harley-Davidson, partnerships more connected to his personal style and public image than to any real ambition of building a meaningful narrative in fashion. And this is where the doubt arises. Do we really need another musical enfant prodige who decides to divert his career toward fashion? The comparison with other artists who have followed similar paths is inevitable. Kanye West, Pharrell Williams, or A$AP Rocky built their credibility in fashion because that world was part of their identity from the very beginning. In all these cases, the connection with fashion felt organic, never as an attempt to colonize an external field. In Post Malone’s case, however, that authenticity feels less evident. The same coherence that allowed him to reinvent himself as a country artist does not seem to emerge with the same strength here. On the contrary, many have repeatedly accused him of being a “culture vulture”, a term used to describe someone who borrows from cultural imaginaries, often belonging to marginalized communities, solely for commercial exploitation, without giving back or without having a real connection to them. Already during his rap phase, he faced criticism for superficial appropriations and borrowings, and this debut in fashion risks bringing back the same perception. These, however, remain speculations. Most likely, the launch of Post Malone’s brand will simply be a PR move tied to his European tour, which, coincidentally, will stop in Paris right during fashion week. Or it might truly become the debut of the year, perhaps even stealing the spotlight from Blazy at Chanel or Demna at Gucci. While waiting for October, the only thing left is to enjoy Austin Post as the new darling of Skims.