![]() This decade’s hip-hop fashion was characterized by a sense of self-expression, rebellion, and individuality. Chance the Rapper even sported a “Lo -Life” inspired look at the 2021 Met Gala, where the theme was “In America.” 1990s This design was in conversation with the “Dropout Bear” logo that would appear on the cover of his first three albums. ![]() You can still see the impact decades later on names like Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, who famously wore the Polo teddy bear jumper. Sporting the RL preppy styles from head to toe, the group went on to influence the style of mainstream hip-hop artists like Raekwon in the early ‘90s. “Cats would never know what you were going through when they saw you dressed in the Lo. “A lot of us came from broken homes and had a lot of problems so the clothing helped us to get through a lot of hard times,” he said to GQ. According to a GQ article, he would go on to make the brand “a religion for hip-hop heads.” He became one of the founding members of Brooklyn’s “Lo-Life” crew - a group of boosters or people who took merchandise from warehouses to either sell or rock themselves. In the late ‘80s, b-boy-turned-rapper Thirstin Howl the 3rd had an affinity for Ralph Lauren’s Polo collections. This paved the way for future hip-hop artists to collaborate with big fashion names down the line. (The latter two pieces were featured in MoMa’s 2018 fashion exhibit as defining cultural moments.) In 1986, Run-DMC released their hit song “My Adidas,” which landed them a partnership with the brand, the first of its kind. Some key pieces that rose from New York’s “B-Boying” or break-dancing community were fuzzy Kangol bucket hats, which LL Cool J helped popularize in 1987, when he wore multiple versions for the “I’m Bad” music video baggy Adidas tracksuits and the label’s shell-toe sneakers. Oversized proportions and bright colors in fashion slowly replaced the prim and polished look that Black artists like the Commodores wore in the late ‘60s/’70s - think pastel colors, collared shirts, and tailor trousers. Hip-hop offered a new sound to music, and naturally fostered an equally unique look. Ahead, TZR breaks down the genre’s influence on the fashion industry through the decades, along with some of its most memorable style moments. But if you take a look back from the beginning, you’ll start to notice certain throughlines and patterns in the category’s evolution. There’s no one specific way to describe hip-hop fashion, as the artists, much like their wardrobes, greatly vary. “Body positivity was something we addressed in the video and loving oneself in all shapes and sizes as women, without words.” This was just one of the ways that she helped hip-hop artists at the time tell their stories. ![]() After all, who can forget when she teamed up with Missy Elliott to dress the musician in a Michelin Man-inspired blow-up suit in her 1997 “The Rain (Supa Dupa Fly)” music video? “It was an exaggerated version of what a curvy, beautiful, full-sized woman could look like,” Ambrose tells TZR. And as someone who has developed iconic outfits for industry legends such as Jay-Z, Diddy, and Busta Rhymes, she would know. From IYKYK looks like gold chains and leather jackets to Nike’s iconic Jordans - sneaker culture and hip-hop have a long, entangled history - the connection between what artists wear and the music they create remains just as strong today.įor June Ambrose, famed costume designer and the current creative director of Puma’s Women’s Basketball division, hip-hop fashion is all about “putting looks to lyrics,” meaning fashion should tell an artist’s story. These musicians, and others, too, unintentionally started fashion trends that would soon flood the streets. and Grand Puba, who rapped about clothing like Adidas sneakers and Tommy Hilfiger sweatsuits respectively. You can see this through the lyrics from stars like Run-D.M.C. ![]() Upon the musical genre’s recognized inception in 1973, a new aesthetic emerged - one rooted in streetwear and laid-back clothing. Over the last 50 years, hip-hop music and fashion’s evolution have remained interconnected.
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