Bacardi wants people to support up-and-coming artists by donning a “wearable album.” The branded merch incorporates QR codes, encouraging viewers to get out their phones and discover new songs, simply by scanning the decorated apparel.

It’s part of the rum brand’s Music Liberates Music program – which aims to help underrepresented artists gain recognition. According to Bacardi, with a new song released every second of the day in the summer, it can be incredibly difficult for new artists to break through.

So, Bacardi paired up with high-end streetwear designer NAHMIAS and Grammy-winning producer Boi-1da to revolutionize the way we discover and stream music. Boi-1da sourced artists for the program, and Doni Nahmias, NAHMIAS founder and fashion designer, promoted them through the creation of a four-piece capsule collection.

The gender-neutral apparel consists of a hat, T-shirt, hoodie and jacket, all featuring a design with embedded QR technology – serving as an innovative music distribution model. Genderless fashion has been growing in popularity, and these designs feature Bacardi-inspired Caribbean flair with West Coast influences.

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“As an up-and-comer in my own industry, I was thrilled to be part of the latest iteration of Music Liberates Music and had a lot of fun combining my signature aesthetic with the tropical vibes of Bacardi to bring this collection and QR tech component to life,” Nahmias said.

The line hit the runway June 23 at NAHMIAS’s Spring/Summer 2023 show during Paris Men’s Fashion Week. The show’s “codes out, phones out” policy garnered much attention.

“This next class of Music Liberates Music artists have raw talent and passion which I’ve seen first-hand,” Boi-1da said. “As someone who’s been in the business of music-making for a long time, I’m excited for them to not only grow as artists, but to get the exposure they deserve.”

Fans wearing the collection are incentivized to attract QR scanners and streamers by the promise of other music benefits. They have the chance to win free concert tickets for every picture taken of their apparel.

Featured artists including Ric Wilson, BenjiFlow and K.ZIA, benefit from the publicity and streams. Additionally, 100% of the net profits from the collection go to the roster of rising talent.

QR codes have been around for a while, but during the pandemic they made a comeback – partly because of improved smartphone technology and partly because of the increased desire for touchless technology. These days, brands are using the codes to help share sustainability details of a product or to add interactive elements to promotional products, as Bacardi has done.

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