Fashion and Hip Hop have always gone together, but decades ago, it took on a life of its own as Hip Hop artists decided to throw their hat in the ring with their own brands. Some of the most iconic names in the genre decided to go from the Booth to the Runway and change the culture in more ways than one.
Videos by According2HipHop
When you think of brands that made a strong impact in fashion, you can come up with the likes of Jay-Z and Dame Dash with Rocawear, Pharrell with Billionaire Boys Club, Puff Daddy with Sean Jean, and a few more sprinkled over the decades. However, not every artist with a brand blew up to what we may consider mainstream success.
There were some not-so-popular attempts in the fashion world from artists such Lil Wayne and his Trukfit Brand, T.I. and his Akoo Brand, and Busta Rhymes and his Bushi Brand. Nowadays, artists have gone more in the direction of collaborations with top brands like Jay and 50 did with Reebok, or watching Pharrell become the Creative Director for Louis Vuitton
Yes, seeing someone in your neighborhood with your logo on is not the same as seeing your logo worn by the masses. Here is a look at some of the top Hip Hop brands that made it big.
Naughty By Nature
Back in the ’90s, Naughty By Nature dropped their signature line. It was a rugged take on everyday wear for the Hip Hop heads residing on the East Coast, most notably, Philly, New York, and New Jersey. The line consisted of Hoodies, Pants, Sweatsuits, T-shirts, and Hats. While it wasn’t Paris fashion ready, the Hip Hop trio captured the essence of the hood perfectly for the everyday fashion head.
A NJ-based clothing line soon caught the attention of some of the biggest Hip Hop artists in the business. It was indeed a movement that was not to be taken lightly.
Wu Wear
Founded by the infamous Wu-Tang Clan in the early 90s, Wu Wear was a staple of the Hip Hop community. As big as the Clan was, their clothing line was just as big. Not viewed as something for the Runways, it did resonate in the hoods. Comprised of mostly street attire such as Hoodies, T-shirts, Hats, and Pants, Wu Wear became everyday attire for fans.
From the streets of NYC to the sidewalks in China, if you were a fan of the Clan and Hip Hop, you would most likely own a piece of Wu Wear. During their peak years, Wu Wear would garner over $25M in sales per year during their peak. Needless to say, it was a very successful leap of faith by another Hip Hop crew.
Rocawear
Founded by Jay-Z, Dame Dash, and Kareem Burke, Rocawear took off like a rocket. Like most Hip Hop fashion lines, it was backed by a face of the brand, and that was Hov. He became the leading person to market the brand and take it to new heights. Rocawer was in the same boat as Phat Pharm, where it offered more than just Hoodies and T-shirts. Rocawer had a bit more style to it with button-down shirts and preppy-like sweaters.
At one point, Rocawear was a $700M business that helped usher in a new wave that proved that more artists could not only invent a line but thrive while doing so. The times were changing for Hip Hop fashion, and Rocawear was at the forefront of that.
Yeezy
Say whatever you want to regarding Kanye West. However, it was the Yeezy brand that transformed how Fortune 500 companies began to view the potential of Hip Hop brands. Yeezy, backed by Adidas, was a movement that’s still being discussed today, good and bad. Yeezy made Kanye a billionaire. He was able to do what the others before him couldn’t. From T-shirts and Hoodies to sneakers, the Yeezy brand became global, forcing outsiders to look at the Hip Hop fashion market as more than just a fad.
It’s still a debate if Yeezy’s best days are behind them, as the brand’s shoes are still being worn despite all the backlash from the face of the company. Yeezy’s were being sold for more than Jordans. That’s how large the brand had become.
Phat Farm
Russell Simmons completely brought the hood to the world with his Phat Farm clothing line. It was the first Hip Hop brand by someone in the business to step outside of the genre and provide the market with button down shirts, sweaters, coats, suits, and more. Phat Farm completely changed the game fashion wise for Hip Hop brands. While others tried to duplicate its success, no one would match what Path Farm offered.
And if there is any doubt on its importance, Simmons and his then wife, Kimora Lee Simmons, took it a step further with Baby Phat, an all-women’s line. Phat Farm stepped outside of the print style T-shirts and provided more of a classy look with high-quality stitching and material.
