MUNA & UGG’s Back-to-School Collab Is About More Than Fashion — It’s About Self-Expression

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Consider this MUNA’s latest extracurricular: starring in UGG’s back-to-school campaign. The indie-pop trio has teamed up with UGG for the footwear brand’s latest fall push, a partnership that feels particularly fitting for a band whose music and visual identity are rooted in self-expression. UGG chose the indie-pop trio because of their emotionally honest songwriting and distinct visual point of view, while MUNA was drawn to the partnership because the people behind it understood how to represent the band without compromising their identity.

The collaboration also builds on UGG’s work with the arts and LGBTQ+ organizations including Queer|Art, which supports LGBTQ+ artists, and Chicxs Rockerxs South East Los Angeles, which uses music, mentorship and social justice programs to support youth. “We appreciate the long-standing partnerships UGG has with important organizations,” the band said in a press release. “They are putting the arts at the center of their back-to-school campaign and encouraging younger folks to embrace whatever makes them feel most like themselves.”

On Tuesday night, UGG celebrated the partnership by throwing MUNA an intimate back-to-tour party in Los Angeles, where I caught up with Katie Gavin and Josette Maskin to talk about the brand collaboration, queer fashion and what they’re wearing when they hit the road. The band kicks off their Gets So Hot tour on Sept. 17, following the release of their latest album, Dancing on the Wall, which came out in May. And while the band has plenty to say about the “dark ’90s” vibes for the tour, there’s one thing they agree on: UGGs are the first thing they’re putting on when they get off stage.

The back-to-school collection includes footwear for adults, kids and toddlers, along with clothing designed for the school season. The assortment features UGG staples like slip-ons, a new take on the classic mini boots, sneakers, plus cozy cardigans and retro-inspired letterman jackets.

For MUNA, agreeing to work with a major brand came down to whether the partnership would actually let them be themselves. “We immediately felt safe,” Maskin said. “And we knew that they weren’t gonna make us do anything that didn’t feel like it was true to MUNA.” There was another, considerably simpler reason to say yes: “We f*cking love UGGs.”

The back-to-school campaign also allowed MUNA to look back at their own college days, where Gavin, Maskin and McPherson met while attending USC. Maskin remembers Gavin wearing high-heeled sneakers, saying, “She was so punk rock,” while Gavin said she loved her green undercut.

For Maskin, looking back on their college style also means reflecting on a time when they were still figuring out how they wanted to express themselves through clothes. “I do feel like some of the things that I wore was because I just felt kind of like a sense of shame,” they said. “Even though I still wore masculine stuff, I just feel like I didn’t feel at home in myself in clothes. And that took a long time — to be able to realize I can express myself and be safe in clothes. Which is the hardest thing to craft, especially when you’re that age.” Their advice? “You just gotta not give a f*ck.”

Now that MUNA is getting ready to take Dancing On The Wall on the road, the band’s fashion is once again becoming part of the world they’re building around their music. “Style is really connected to our creative self-expression,” Gavin said. “The way I dress changes a ton based on what creative project we’re working on. It’s almost a way of getting into character.”

The trio is leaning into a dark ’90s-inspired aesthetic for their upcoming tour, taking cues from the era’s leather-heavy, rock-inspired styles. However, there’s one staple they’re not going without. As Maskin put it: “I’m ending in UGGs at the end of the night.”

Shop the full back-to-school collection at UGG.

Buy tickets to MUNA’s upcoming Gets So Hot tour.

Sophie Dunne is an e-commerce writer at Penske Media Corporation, writing across Billboard, The Hollywood Reporter, Rolling Stone, WWD, and Footwear News. Originally from Ireland and based in Los Angeles, she previously worked at Static Media as a writer and editor, covering entertainment, lifestyle, fashion, and travel. Her bylines have appeared in Women’s Health, The List, Women.com, Islands, Grunge, WebMD, and more. Before beginning her writing career in 2019, Sophie lived in Dubai for four years working as an Emirates cabin crew member. Having traveled to 71 countries with the airline, she began writing for an LA-based publication as a travel writer during her final year. Sophie has a degree in Humanities from Carlow College, St. Patrick’s (now South East Technological University) in her native Ireland. She studied English, history, philosophy, and psychology. Sophie mostly reports on entertainment merchandise and celebrity brand partnerships.