Fashion with movement and attitude has always been important to Tems. Whether on or offstage, the Grammy Award-winning musician feels the most comfortable in looks she can easily dance, pose, and sing in, with plenty of elevated details included. “I like things that show my shape and my waist, but I also need to be able to move. Usually something quite simple with one thing that makes it special, a nice texture, some movement, or really good jewelry. I don’t like feeling too restricted or like I have to think about my outfit once I’m onstage,” Tems tells TZR.
That same mindset was essential for her latest performance look. Tems kicked off the first weekend of the All Points East music festival in London this Saturday, which she co-headlined with Jorja Smith. For the occasion, Tems turned to MIO — a Serbian based brand specializing in custom macramé artisanship — for a black, multicolored beaded mini dress featuring hip cutouts and a long fringe hem. The textured piece was a perfect complement to her natural diamond jewelry by Shola Branson. “I just really loved how it felt when I put it on,” she says of her All Points outfit. “It’s sexy, fun, and moves amazing on stage. It has so much detail; the macramé technique is insane on this piece. And I love jewelry, so the natural diamonds really finish the look for me. They add something beautiful without taking away from everything else.”
It’s practical that the singer values pieces that won’t get in the way of her shows onstage. Over the years, she’s performed on her own tours, at Coachella, Glastonbury, and events like the British Fashion Awards. That experience has only honed her understanding of what she likes and dislikes in her performance attire. Tems explains, “I need to be able to dance and perform and not be thinking, ‘Is this moving? Is this falling? Do I need to fix this?’ I want to put something on and then forget about it.”
As a performer, she also values avant-garde details that can transform simple designs. Even on the red carpet, those elements, like feathers and headpieces — like her viral Lever Couture design from the 2023 Oscars — can make or break a look. “I also love things that move with me. Fringe, beads, anything that catches the light or moves when I move is always fun onstage,” Tems says. “It still has to feel good on my body, though. That’s the most important thing.”
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Tems favors that same ease in her everyday wardrobe, too. Wide-leg jeans, oversized hoodies, and jersey dresses are all part of the singer’s closet, which she upgrades with pendant jewelry, bangles, and patterns like plaids, lace, and stripes. “[My on-stage style is] actually not that different, just a more exaggerated version of how I normally dress,” she explains. “Day-to-day I’m obviously much more relaxed, but I still like the same shapes and feeling comfortable.”
Since the start of her career in 2018, Tems has found her footing as an entertainer onstage, and it’s obvious her style has transformed just as much. With clear ties between her performance and off-duty looks, the star’s artisanal taste is nothing short of fashion synergy.
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