“For me it felt more like a tactile piece of furniture, so it was quite an interesting challenge.” Kiko Kostadinov is talking about the Beats Pill, the most recognizable portable speaker of the 2010s—now rebuilt through the brand’s unmistakable aesthetic code.
Known for innovative pattern cutting, a fusion of utilitarian workwear with futurism, meticulous construction, and a playful yet sophisticated approach to textiles and color, menswear creative director Kiko and womenswear co-creative directors Deanna and Laura Fanning have applied that same precision to an object that isn’t worn, but lived with. The collaboration grew naturally from a long-standing connection. “We have been quite close with Beats’s team for some time,” says Kiko. “When the opportunity to design a non-wearable object came about, it felt like a natural step for us.”
The result: a matte green Pill, its perforated grille layered with an intricate, abstract pattern that plays in shadow and light, the Beats “b” tucked neatly at its center. A braided cord in bright teal and orange twists from its side, adding a hit of handmade tactility against the clean industrial form. On the reverse, “KIKO KOSTADINOV” is embossed in bold capitals. It’s equal parts sound system and design object, meant to live comfortably on a desk, in a living room, or packed into a bag for a late-night gathering.
Music doesn’t necessarily begin the design process in the studio, but it inevitably weaves into the work. “Maybe when trying to imagine the show and how the characters will be seen, there’s an element of sound that surfaces,” says Deanna. “Usually the music helps to complete the process.” Laura sees sound as a presence that shapes how a body moves through space: “The silhouette in turn needs to work in harmony with sound for its sincerity and authenticity.”
Inside the studio, the volume fluctuates. “It can be quite isolated and individual when someone has to focus,” says Kiko. “Sometimes it’s very communal when it’s late in the day and a silly song is being played, or when we are wrapping up before a show with Tiesto playing very loudly.” Even in those shared moments, listening habits are deeply personal. “Everyone has different tastes, and most of the time they listen to it privately while working,” says Deanna. “I don’t think guilty pleasures exist in music.”
Their collective listening runs from Future, Playboi Carti, and Mechatok to Cliff Martinez film scores, Pink Floyd, and Takashi Kokubo’s ambient soundscapes. While working on the Beats Pill, Deanna was deep into the Nymphet Alumni podcast.
The campaign features Spanish rapper BB Trickz, bringing a flash of attitude to the brand’s distinctive universe. For the brand, it comes down to a principle Kiko sums up simply: “It’s about being personal with references and research, and contributing to the visual aspect through our lenses and community.”