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Inside Post Malone's Daring and One of a Kind Style Transformation

His stylist Catherine Hahn explains the inspiration behind his looks

By Holly Passalaqua, Lena Grossman Apr 29, 2019 10:00 AMTags
Post Malone, 2018 American Music Awards, 2018 AMAsFrazer Harrison/Getty Images

Have you ever just thought "Wow" when looking at one or all of Post Malone's outfits? 

Posty has carved out a special place for himself in the music world as of late. He took home a number of awards at the 2018 American Music Awards and the 2018 MTV VMAs and also garnered a few Grammy nominations while he was at it. Plus, he has a whopping 17 nominations at the 2019 Billboard Music Awards, including Top Artist, Top Male Artist, Top Rap Album and Top Rap Song.

But there's so much more to this 23-year-old than his chart-topping tracks.

Post Malone, whose birth name is Austin Post, is now a red carpet staple when it comes to unforgettable fashion. Plus, his many recognizable face tattoos are major statements in their own right and were popular fodder for a number of Halloween costumes this year.

While he's always had his own original stamp on his look, Posty's sartorial decisions both onstage and on the red carpet have become must-see moments.

E! News talked with his stylist Catherine Hahn and learned more about their collaborations as well as the meanings behind some of his most famous outfits. She said that she and the "White Iverson" singer "have so much fun" working together, which comes through very clearly in all of his clothes. 

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Best Dressed Ever at the Billboard Music Awards

Hahn told E! News that they first met when she helped out with designs for a major photo shoot he was doing. Hahn said she was initially "nervous about the job" because her background is in costume design, not necessarily designing for musicians. The job was "out of the norm" for her, but evidently a blessing in costumed disguise. 

"I say Post was like a gift from the universe and that we were destined to meet each other," she declared.

"We did this big fitting together and we had so much fun and we did some really amazing work just on that first job," she explained. "Going into it I thought it was just a one-off job and then I go back to my normal life after. So we did this job and by the end of the photo shoot I was like, 'Oh my gosh I'm never going to see this person again.'"

She continued, "He has magic in him. I thought, 'I can't not talk to him ever again.'"

Not long after that fateful photo shoot, his song "Rockstar" came out and Hahn was called to help with the music video. She thinks that video really "propelled him to the next level" and the red suit he wears in the music video "opened the door for us continuing to do custom designs."

Kevin Winter/Getty Images for Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest

Since then, Hahn and Malone have hit the ground running and it's been nonstop colorful, fun and unparalleled designs for the singer.

Hahn collaborates with many Los Angeles artists as well, which she loves because it helps showcase local companies and designers on a global stage. Plus, Malone is enthusiastic and "willing to wear these independent small artists."

"I just feel so lucky to get to work with all these independent artists," she said. "My favorite part of doing what I do is working with all these local artists who are working really young."

He's worn a number of Western style suits with snakes on them, and there's a specific reason why. As for the suit style, Malone hails from Texas and, in Hahn's words, is "a cowboy and he loves old country music. He just likes that Western look."

The snake imagery has a musical relevance and it has to do with his recent album Beerbongs & Bentleys. Hahn explained that she designed a yellow suit with a snake on it that he wore to a small concert in Nashville.

"The album wasn't out yet, but they had the art work done and they had a theme for Beerbongs & Bentleys, which was a lot of yellow, snakes and barbed wire. The album art that was already created like the image for the album was the inspiration for that suit," she said. 

That suit in particular was extra special because it also happened to be the night that Malone announced the release date for Beerbongs.

Hahn added, "I think eventually there will be another album, new album and new theme so we'll see what happens."

Malone's style influence extends beyond the bright lights of the stage and throngs of screaming fans at his concert. In November, the musician paired up with Crocs and designed his own clogs that even had custom Jibbitz. The $59.99 shoes sold out instantly and not even Madonna could get her hands on a pair upon initial release. 

Hahn clarified that there's one look Malone will definitely not wear—at least for now.

"I have a pair of pants that I bring a lot that have fringe down the side and every time he sees them he says, 'No, I told you, I'm not wearing this.' I told him they're not going to stop appearing," she revealed.

Take a look at the photos below to see some of Post Malone's most daring looks and the meaning behind them.

Dolly Tribute

For his performance at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival on June 15 in Tennessee, Post Malone paid tribute to country music star Dolly Parton, wearing an outfit with her face on it. "Love the outfit from head to toe @PostMalone," Dolly tweeted after seeing the outfit, adding a wink emoji.

Dolly is a Tennessee native, so it appears Post was tipping his hat to the legendary artist while in the state.

Green with envy

Post Malone posed with Toni Braxton at the 2019 Grammys. Malone's stylist Catherine Hahn explains that this suit in particular is "inspired by Jimmy Page" and one of Page's vintage dragon suits.

"I think that suit was really royal. I wanted him to have a dragon energy going on and look like a king," she says.

Cheers to that

Posty got into Game Day mode at the Bud Light Super Bowl Music Fest on Feb. 1. The singer tends to have a beer in his hand onstage, and he went the extra step during this concert to rep his love of Bud Light on his shirt. Hahn calls the look a "shout out to Bud Light and a shout out to the Super Bowl."

"He loves beer pong, everyone knows that. He plays it all the time, he's really good," Hahn tells E! News. "I get inspiration from what he's doing like the Super Bowl party. There's beer, so that becomes the inspiration. He's the inspiration for everything. It's all stuff that he likes."

Millennials in pink

The 24-year-old brought millennial pink, a color that "he loves," to the red carpet at the 2019 Grammys. Hahn explains to E! News that she came up with the idea to make a pink leather suit and he ran with it. However, it wasn't specifically made for the Grammys but when it was done, "We knew it was the one."

She tells us, "The fact that he wears these things and he looks amazing in them and he's so confident. Not many guys would be like, 'Sure I'll wear a pink leather suit covered in diamonds.' He does, he looks amazing and no one else is wearing a pink suit covered in diamonds."

Beer cups & Bentleys

Malone rocked out on the 2018 AMAs red carpet that he walks with his red Solo cup. Other than the unforgettable suit, Posty shows off his manbun-less hair which he chopped right before the show. The red Solo cup that accompanied him both before and during the show wasn't an official accessory, but it might as well have been.

This unforgettable look represents one of the first times Hahn and Malone worked together.

Malone's blue suit "was one that we were just holding onto and waiting for the perfect moment for him to wear it. Then he was nominated for all the AMAs. Just the idea of him being on a red carpet and it's that turquoise, it was something really special," she says of the suit.

Feeling Tropical

Malone wore an airbrushed shirt at Lollapalooza Brazil on April 6, 2019. Hahn said she works closely with a company called Gentle Thrill on this outfit.

"All the things on the suit are things that he loves like snakes and symbolic things that he likes and they have to do with his personality," she describes.

Crocs, paper, scissors

The "Better Now" singer showed off his customized Crocs that he designed. "He is who he is and that's not going to change," Hahn says of his affinity for the shoes. "I think one of his most iconic looks was this picture of him smashing a guitar on stage with thousands and thousands of people. It's like this beautiful photo that his photographer took and he is smashing a guitar like a real rock star and he's wearing Crocs."

Across the Pond

The 24-year-old performed at a concert in Manchester, England and reps the Union Jack all over his outfit. Hahn points out to E! News that Posty's locale often influences what he will wear at his concerts, whether it's the Super Bowl, England or Japan.

Always Glowing

Malone donned a glow in the dark look at Astroworld Festival in Houston on Nov. 17, 2018. "I feel like we just have so much fun. I just want to keep doing what we're doing," Hahn shares.

An Ode to the King

Posty strummed his guitar at an Elvis All-Star tribute. This yellow suit holds a special place in both Malone and Hahn's hearts. He's "a big Elvis fan so we made him a Post Malone suit that was inspired by Elvis." Graceland loved the look so much that it is not on display at Elvis' home.

Hahn says, "He's such an Elvis fan so it was a big deal for him. Each one is a work of art that people put a lot of time into and I hope that they could be displayed so people could see the details on them up close."

Coachilln' in style

Posty entertained the crowd at Coachella 2018 in his colorful Catherine Hahn suit that she designed with Rose Cut clothing.

Smile on three

Posty was quite literally all smiles while singing alongside Steven Tyler at the 2018 MTV VMAs.

Dots & Stripes

The Texan expertly paired polka dots with stripes at the 2018 MTV VMAs. Of course, his cup of beer accompanies him while he shows off his shiny award.

Hahn said, "Every day I'm so thankful and I just feel so lucky to do what I do with an artist like him who's not just an amazing artist but an amazing human."