BIGSOUND 2025: American Apparel® Takes Centre Stage

BIGSOUND. The week Fortitude Valley turned into the beating heart of Australian music.

Streets lined with fans, venues stacked with talent, and conversations that set the future of the industry. It was not just about the gigs but also about the culture.

This year, American Apparel® didn’t just show up. We became part of the fabric, stepping in as the official merch partner and taking festival merch to the next level.

The Official Merch Partner

BIGSOUND runs on energy. But behind every set, every panel, every midnight showcase, there’s an army of people making it happen. That’s where we came in.

From day one, American Apparel® supplied premium tees, totes, and essentials for crew, staff, and volunteers across the precinct. Classic fits, durable cotton, effortless style — gear that could handle long days and longer nights. Seeing our blanks in motion on the people powering the festival wasn’t just a flex. It was proof that style and function can work as hard as the music.

The Merch Hub

BIGSOUND is about discovery. So we made sure merch became part of that story.

The Merch Hub presented by American Apparel® wasn’t just a merch shop. It was an experience. Across the week, fans printed live merch from more than 70 artists, heat-pressing designs straight onto our American Apparel 9001 Super Heavyweight T-shirt.

Some of the artists even rolled through themselves, from breakout acts testing their first run of tees to established names wanting to connect with fans in real time. The result? One-of-a-kind pieces that won’t ever be reprinted. Not just a souvenir, rather a memory you can wear.

The StAArt Up Fund

BIGSOUND has always been about the next wave. That’s why American Apparel® brought the StAArt Up Fund to the event to give new voices a platform that matters.

This year’s winner: Chor Bazaar.

An Australian-based collective rooted in South Asian sounds and reimagined through a contemporary lens, Chor Bazaar is carving out what they call The New Desi Sound. They’re genre-defying, boundary-breaking, and the perfect example of what BIGSOUND is built for.

They’ll be taking home $10,000 worth of custom American Apparel® merch, plus a featured story across our platforms. Because when artists are creating something true, they deserve gear that can carry it further.

Culture, Community, and the Next Wave

BIGSOUND 2025 was more than a showcase. It was a convergence of voices shaping what’s next. 

Late-night sets bled into morning panels, with artists and industry heavyweights debating the future of streaming, live touring, and what it means to make music in Australia right now. This wasn’t just a festival. It was a blueprint for the future.

And in the middle of it all, merch became part of the culture — worn, pressed, and carried by the people who live for this.

Until Next Year

BIGSOUND 2025 wrapped, but its impact moves forward. Tees printed at The Merch Hub are already being worn across the country. Chor Bazaar is gearing up for their next chapter. 

For American Apparel®, the alignment is simple. Music and style have always moved together. Our partnership with BIGSOUND just proved it again.

Icons don’t fade. They evolve.