The online fashion and lifestyle destination has just unveiled its spring/summer '25 campaign, fronted by Sarah Jessica Parker and Mahmood. Below, Vogue Scandinavia sat down for an exclusive chat with the Italian artist on fashion, forging in personal style and his latest endeavour with Zalando
‘What do I wear?’ It’s a question virtually all of us – consciously or not – ponder daily. These four words also lie at the heart of Zalando’s spring/summer ‘25 campaign, starring Sarah Jessica Parker and Mahmood. Unfolding in a bustling plaza somewhere sweltering and sunny, the campaign probes this question through a playful lens, exploring fashion as a means for self-expression and storytelling while spotlighting this season’s biggest trends and their versatile styling potential.
For chart-topping Italian singer-songwriter Mahmood, ‘What do I wear?’ takes on a different meaning each day. “It depends on the situation – I like to change things up a lot during the week,” he tells Vogue Scandinavia. Still, in his everyday sartorial rotation, easygoing and cosy looks reign supreme. “I like to stay comfortable because I’m trying to go to the gym everyday,” he explains. “Right now, I have a lot of tank tops in my wardrobe… My go-to outfit at the moment is a tank top, oversized trousers – probably tracksuit bottoms – paired with a golden necklace and boots or other chunky shoes.”
Sarah Jessica Parker. Photo: Zalando
Mahmood. Photo: Zalando
Mahmood, who’s known for his fashion-forward style that blends feminine and masculine influences into eye-catching and finger-on-the-pulse looks, recalls always having harboured a spark towards fashion. “I’ve always connected fashion to my favourite artist [of the moment],” he says. “For me, the biggest fashion moments in my adolescence came from watching MTV and events like the VMAs and the Grammys.” His ultimate style icon from the music sphere? “I’ve always loved Missy Elliot,” he says.
Zalando’s SS25 campaign is all about discovering confidence through style – something that Mahmood has experienced firsthand. As an artist, he’s well-versed in the confidence-boosting abilities of a great get-up, whether performing on stage or walking down a red carpet. “I think the power of an on-stage outfit can sometimes be like 40 per cent of the whole performance. When I’m on tour, for instance, I always choose looks that make me powerful and confident in my body,” he says. “What I wear helps me believe in myself even more.” He notes a recent example: the bare-chested, billowing red velvet suit by Willy Chavarria that he wore to the 2024 CFDA Awards, which made him feel “really strong.”
Photo: Zalando
Photo: Zalando
Working together with renowned stylist Stella Greenspan, who curated the looks for Zalando’s SS25 campaign, both Parker and Mahmood gave their personal input in the chosen pieces. Mahmood notes that striking the right balance between minimalist and statement-making was paramount, with the artist gravitating towards breezy Bermuda shorts and relaxed silhouettes. “I think this Zalando campaign is also about the freedom of wearing simple pieces in the summer,” he says. Parker adds, “Some days, it’s [picking an outfit] effortless. Some days it requires a bit more thought. But it’s lovely how this Zalando campaign celebrates a daily ritual we all share. And most importantly, there are no wrong choices.”
As for Mahmood’s cardinal tip for finding one’s personal style? “You need to try a lot of different looks,” he says. “The biggest thing I’ve learned is that sometimes you see an outfit that doesn’t convince you 100 per cent, but then you put it on, and it looks amazing on you… I think fashion is a way to empower your personality.”
Watch the full Zalando SS25 campaign video below: