A statement about power shifting': why Bad Bunny wore Zara for his Super Bowl show

"Of the many cultural flashpoints in Bad Bunny's half-time performance at the Super Bowl on Sunday, one that few observers saw coming was his decision to wear not one but two outfits by the Spanish high street brand Zara. As the most-watched event on US television, the half-time performance is a marketing moment for the stars. From Rihanna's pregnancy reveal to Kendrick Lamar's show-stealing jeans, the 13-minute showcase has often been replete with luxury fashion."

"And few musicians are as plugged into that world as the Puerto Rican megastar, who has appeared in underwear campaigns for Calvin Klein, the French brand Jacquemus and on 1 February attended the Grammys in a black velvet suit by Schiaparelli, shaped like an hourglass with gold corsetry laced down the jacket's back. As the most-streamed musician on Spotify in 2025, Bad Bunny is just about as popular as it is possible for a musician to be."

"But he is also one of the industry's most visually savvy performers. Just as the Super Bowl show's all-Spanish lyrical content reflected the fact that English is no longer pop music's lingua franca, the decision to wear high street for television's most-watched event suggests couture is not necessarily pop's natural fashion choice either. With its affordable interpretations of catwalk trends, Zara remains the paragon of budget-friendly albeit unsustainable chic, while also referencing the runway-to-high street pipeline."

Bad Bunny wore two Zara outfits during the Super Bowl halftime show, choosing high-street pieces over expected couture. The Super Bowl halftime functions as a major marketing moment and has historically featured luxury fashion moments. Bad Bunny has a strong fashion presence, having modeled for Calvin Klein and Jacquemus and attending the Grammys in a Schiaparelli suit with hourglass shaping and gold corsetry. The all-Spanish setlist signaled pop's linguistic shift, while the Zara choice highlighted high street's visibility in top-tier pop platforms. Zara's affordable, runway-referencing designs make high-fashion aesthetics widely accessible despite sustainability concerns. His first look combined a collared shirt, tie, cropped trousers, Adidas trainers and a padded jersey reading Ocasio.

Read at www.theguardian.com