Pop sensation Katy Perry is known for her unique taste in fashion, and she isn’t afraid to show it. In her “Chained to the Rhythm” music video, Perry takes viewers on a wild ride. In addition to the avant garde fashion choices, the music video also notably features Bob Marley’s grandson, Skip Marley. Directed by Matthew Hullen, the video focuses on Katy Perry at an amusement park called Oblivia.
To create the saccharine sweet looks, fashion stylist and costume designer B. Akerlund worked as a stylist for the video. B. Akerlund also worked magic with music videos like “Hold Up” for Beyonce and “MILF” for Fergie. For “Chained to the Rhythm”, the designer’s inspiration included making creations for Katy Perry as a “futuristic Marilyn Monroe”. Out of the entire video, we’d have to say, one of the biggest stand out pieces is a show-stopping latex number.
With a retro inspired touch, the video creates an interesting blend of nostalgia and modernism. Katy smolders in various latex and vinyl looks, including a chic futuristic piece with a clear vinyl hood. With a bold design, Katy looks ultra sleek in a latex catsuit.
Featuring a mockneck style, the reflective sheen of the fabric creates a theatrical effect. Perry glowed in the video, complete with soft platinum blonde waves, thick arched brows and pink eyeshadow. “For the last look, that was another custom piece I did with Christopher Bu. She’s wearing a Latex catsuit under it. Originally there was only one look allocated for the video, but I was like, “Oh, no way.”
I usually like to create a formula when I’m working, and for this world, it was very pastel and plastic. I just felt like that instantly took you to the future. I was referring back to the ’50s a bit, too, because it was so stylized. Every piece of fabric had a sheen or plastic on it.” B. Akerlund said in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter about the piece.
“I feel like her whole purpose for this video was to open people’s eyes to how we’re all chained to this rhythm — our life, social media and what other people think. I worked with a lot of restriction within the costumes. You can’t see it, but there’s a lot of hard bodices.” B. Akerlund added.
“I was trying to restrict the talent because that was the reality. We don’t live a perfect world and we have a lot of restrictions. I tried to use that in my styling to reflect the tone of the video. A lot of people were not comfortable, but I said, “Look, this is what we gotta do.”
Written by Jade Nicolette
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The behind-the-scenes insight about restricting movement makes me rethink the choreography entirely, since even subtle motions might have been influenced by the costumes.
I hadn’t connected the amusement park theme with the idea of being stuck in cycles, but the repetitive visuals and shiny costumes really drive that point home.
That reflective latex catsuit almost acts like a mirror, emphasizing how people project curated versions of themselves, which ties back to the social media commentary.
Knowing that there was originally only one look planned makes the final result even more impressive, since the variety of latex outfits really drives the narrative visually.
The mix of 50s inspiration with futuristic materials like latex and vinyl really sells the unsettling vibe of Oblivia, even when everything looks bright and cheerful.
It’s interesting that the costumes were intentionally uncomfortable; knowing there were hard bodices underneath adds a whole new layer to how we interpret the choreography and stiffness.
That quote about every fabric having a sheen or plastic finish explains why the whole video feels almost synthetic, like a manufactured dream you can’t escape.
The idea of a “futuristic Marilyn Monroe” really comes through in the platinum hair and glossy vinyl pieces, especially that clear hood look you mentioned—it felt retro and sci‑fi at the same time.
The pastel palette combined with restrictive silhouettes makes the whole “chained” concept feel literal, not just lyrical, which I hadn’t fully appreciated before.
It’s cool how the styling choices weren’t just aesthetic but actually reinforced the message about societal pressure and routine, especially with those rigid bodices hidden underneath.
I didn’t realize B. Akerlund also worked on “Hold Up” and “MILF,” but you can definitely see her signature bold styling carried into this pastel, plastic-heavy aesthetic.
It’s fascinating how Akerlund used discomfort as a design tool, especially since most viewers would just see polished pop visuals without realizing the intent behind them.
I like how you pointed out the clear vinyl hood because it’s such a small detail that reinforces the theme of transparency versus illusion in the video.
Your mention of the theatrical effect from the fabric sheen is spot on; it gives everything a stage-like quality, as if the characters are performing happiness.
I always thought the Oblivia amusement park setting was clever, but tying it to those restrictive latex looks makes even more sense after reading Akerlund’s explanation about control and limitation.
What stood out to me was how the catsuit’s mockneck and sheen created that almost plastic perfection, which fits perfectly with the video’s commentary on artificial happiness and routine.
The comparison to Marilyn Monroe adds an eerie twist, because instead of soft glamour, the vinyl and latex turn it into something more controlled and artificial.
Skip Marley’s presence often gets overshadowed, but pairing his vibe with Katy’s hyper-stylized latex visuals actually balances the message of the song nicely.