Since its founding in 1972, Roland has had a major impact on electronic music, dance, and hip-hop. Listeners worldwide have felt the influence of iconic instruments like the TR-808. Still, not everyone who was a fan of the culture and gear could celebrate the company’s legacy. Fashion, a form of expression linked to music, provided a new avenue to share Roland’s ongoing cultural significance.
Now, you no longer need to own a piece of Roland musical gear to celebrate its importance. If a fan loves the music created by a specific instrument, they can rep it on a daily basis. The Roland Lifestyle brand debuted with the in-line collections, “EST. 1972” and “808 Classic.” The former pays homage to 1972, the year of the company’s founding in Osaka, Japan.
The latter celebrates the TR-808 which is still revered by today’s music community. As Roland Creative Director Martyn Hopkins puts it, “We all feel it’s a huge privilege to make instruments that have been absorbed into the DNA of music. The Roland Lifestyle brand is an extension of this mindset.”
A Perfect Partnership
The process of creating Roland Lifestyle began in 2019. At that time, Roland teamed up with LA-based agency Shines Creative to design and execute the line. “I got a call from Brian Alli, VP of Artist Relations in June of 2019,” shares Nathan Chandra, founder of Shines Creative. “Brian was seeking a collaboration partner for 808 Day. My vision was to make this into its own brand.” From there, Chandra’s conversation with Alli blossomed into something much bigger.
There was a prior instance of such a collaboration. Back in 2018, Roland partnered with Puma. The product received an overwhelming amount of positive feedback, selling out swiftly. After that, people all over the world clamored for more. “We fell in love with the idea at that point,” says Kristin Seaborn, head of Roland’s partnership projects. “We heard it enough times that we knew we were on the right path.’”
"It’s a way for people inspired by the equipment to feel good about Roland and wear a product they have a deep tie to from their experience."
-Nathan Chandra
“So we reached out to different companies and got their take on it and eventually landed on Shines Creative with Nathan. It was a strong connection,” Seaborn says. “He had a good feel for our brand since he’s an artist and a friend of the company.”
Seaborn goes on to praise both Chandra’s connection to the music community and understanding of the fashion scene. “He was able to help with that aspect of it,” she confirms.
The Brand Mission
The mission of the Lifestyle brand is to bridge music, fashion, and culture by telling Roland’s iconic story through apparel and unique products. This stems from a desire to reach beyond musicians using the hardware to fans of the gear and the music it helps create.
“It’s twofold. It’s a way for people inspired by the equipment to feel good about Roland and wear a product they have a deep tie to from their experience,” Chandra says. “Roland impacts the lives of most musicians in some way or another. Then there are fans who’ve heard of the 808 or know of Roland, but can’t actually purchase anything.”
The brand also has the power to teach fresh audiences about the company’s rich legacy. “We want to educate new consumers through a medium they relate to about Roland’s impact on the culture,” Chandra explains.
Hopkins feels identifying with the stories of the instruments is another key factor. “People are drawn to the nature of the music that they love,” he adds. “Not just how it sounds, but also how it’s made.
"We designed specifically around a staple—a print that shows who Roland is, where we come from." -Mar Keith Meloncon
Stocking up on Essentials
The Roland logo is inherently iconic. For the first few designs, it made sense to go back to the very foundation of when and where the company was born. “When you have Roland, there’s so much to guide you, because all you have to do is go look in the history books. For me, it makes it fun because the inspiration is part of the history of music,” Chandra explains.
Another key player in the Lifestyle brand is Mar Keith Meloncon, a member of Roland’s A&R team. “There’s a level of openness you need to establish going into design, as well as opportunities to be creative. As a creator myself, I know it’s endless,” Meloncon says. “We talked a lot about what our staple was going to be. We designed specifically around a staple—a print that shows who Roland is, where we come from.”
Staple Designs
“Successful brands have staple designs. Those designs are something we can continue to run forever. They create a stamp of familiarity across the board as we continue to work on the brand,” Meloncon adds.
For Roland and Shines Creative, it was key to connect music, fashion, and culture respectfully. “We respect the musicians and the fashion world. This is a way of combining the two in a way that’s authentic because this could easily come off as ‘corporate.’ We’re not doing that on purpose,” Chandra says.
A Team Effort
The three worked with the rest of the team to ensure the brand both felt genuine and meshed with their tastes. “Nathan would bring us initial designs. Together, we’d tweak them and consider how they reflect what we’re trying to convey about Roland to our audience,’” Seaborn says. “Sometimes, I’d look to my interns for feedback on a design and ask, ‘Would you wear that?’”
“I love the 1972 beanie,” Meloncon says with obvious joy in his voice. “There’s something classy about a patch. It doesn’t matter if it’s warm or cold outside. You’ll consistently see me in my Roland beanie. I get a lot of looks. There aren’t too many people rocking orange beanies right now.”
Seaborn’s personal favorites are the crewnecks and joggers. “They’re so buttery and look great with a tank top and some sneakers,” she says.
Roaring Response
When the process began in 2019, Seaborn and the rest of the team dreamed of seeing the line worn by A-list artists. However, that occurred much sooner than expected during a soft launch. To their surprise, Timbaland and Swizz Beatz were already donning the pieces.
"We’re always going to try and encapsulate who we are. We’ll probably never stop."
-Kristin Seaborn
“The day that Timbaland posted, I got a text message from his team saying, ‘Timbaland’s about to post. Look out for it.’ This was in the middle of a Zoom conference call with my boss and team. I was like, ‘Oh my god, it’s happening,’” Seaborn shares.
When her team heard what was happening, they stopped the meeting to ping Chandra. “Throughout the day, Swizz Beatz was on IG Live wearing the beanie and the sweatshirt. It was happening in real-time so the emotion was raw. I’m fairly certain I shed a tear,” she says of the moment.
Communication and Feedback
Meloncon confirms that Timbaland and Swizz Beatz are two of Roland Lifestyle’s biggest fans at the moment. “We were on a call the other day and they saw Kristin wearing the hoodie. They were like, ‘Hey, you have that hoodie. We don’t have it.’”
He continues, “We’ve talked to a lot of artists at that level. They can get any brand to send them anything they want. So to hear artists like that desire the products we’re making is an awesome thing. They represent products musicians have been using for years.” Roland’s also in contact with the public, Meloncon shares. “Direct feedback from the streets,” he says. “That type of communication is golden and has been successful.”
"People are drawn to the nature of the music they love. Not just how it sounds, but also how it’s made." -Martyn Hopkins
Movements of the People
Everyone has their own Roland story. When they see the logo or image of a particular instrument, fans relive their personal experience. Roland Lifestyle builds on those memories while looking to the future. In the process, the brand is introducing Roland to new generations.
“Over the years, Roland gear has been involved in countless moments becoming a trusted part of the creative process,” Hopkins affirms. “Without the artists, the tools have no purpose.”
Past + Future
When asked about the future of the brand, all respond the same way: collaborations. “It’s all in line in the sense that Roland is selfless and builds relationships. We want to help everyone the best we can with music,” Chandra says. “The future is collaborations, awareness, and building this so the Roland brand touches more and more people.”
Hopkins feels that the ongoing relationship between the music makers and the instruments coalesce seamlessly in the Lifestyle Brand. “It’s all in there. These sounds tell stories about people that make the music. And this is what some of them look like.”
It’s an ongoing process and one the team is keen to continue working on. “We’re always going to try and encapsulate who we are,” Seaborn adds. “We’ll probably never stop.”
