Shawn Mendes' tour outfits inspired by Elvis Presley

20 June 2019

Shawn Mendes is paying homage to "style icon" Elvis Presley with his tour outfits.

Shawn Mendes

The 20-year-old Canadian singer/songwriter has just kicked off the North American leg of his eponymous tour and the pop star's long-time stylist Tiffany Briseno has revealed that Shawn's wardrobe contains nods to many of his favourite artists, including the late King of Rock 'n' Roll Elvis, Bruce Springsteen and late guitar hero Jimi Hendrix.

Briseno said: "The goal is for Shawn to make his mark in a world of past and present style icons. Taking inspiration and paying homage to some of the greats such as Elvis, Bruce Springsteen and Jimi Hendrix.

"Having been with him since he was 16, his style has evolved through a few stages since then. At first he had a stage when he'd really just wear what he wanted, which I'd call the 'plaid stage,' then we elevated his style a bit when he started wearing leather jackets and black jeans. Now, I'd say we have moved onto what I'd call the 'natural rock star' stage."

And Shawn was also "inspired" by the late funk legend James Brown - who died in 2006 - to incorporate the idea of "de-layering" into his on stage performances.

Speaking to US Vogue, Tiffany added: "The approach for tour is much more raw and lived-in compared to some of our past award shows and other performance looks. We have also integrated the idea of de-layering throughout the entire show. Starting with a lightweight jacket and ending in a cut-off tee or staple tank top. This approach was inspired by icons like James Brown and the use of his cape--the idea of using clothing to create more anticipation for the audience."

The 'Stitches' hitmaker always makes sure that Shawn "feels good" first and foremost when he's stage and she wants her work to make him happy.

She added: "He has to feel good in it. Having worked together for so long now, we have a trust that allows us to push and evolve. He is open and knows what he likes, so it makes for a very successful creative process in our fitting sessions."