Q: What prompted you to write FreeStylin’: How Hip Hop Changed the Fashion Industry? What "message"
do you want to communicate?
I served as a fashion reporter in the mid nineties for trade
publications DNR and later WWD. My beat included the youth market
and hip hop fashion was exploding during my tenure. Free Stylin’: How Hip Hop Changed the Fashion Industry chronicles and critically examines how
hip hop celebrities and urban designers carved their own niche in the current $192
billion dollar apparel industry. It’s
a subject matter very similar to me since I wrote about the connection of hip
hop and fashion for seven years. Unlike other fashion categories taught in
fashion schools and written about extensively in ultra chic magazines, urban
fashion has been frowned upon by the established fashion guard--due in part to the people who contributed to its
birth, initial customer base, and its rapid evolution.
The tale is as
historic as it is controversial. For years, designers and manufacturers
have taken their cues from the streets to enhance their clothing lines. But it
wasn’t until the eighties that the urban consumer was recognized as a viable
demographic. Looking to appeal to young customers, the industry began hiring
and backing talented African-American designers and entrepreneurs. An
unconventional union on the surface, the pairing made a lot of business
sense. Seasoned fashion executives
brought proven track records while aspiring designers provided street
credibility, music connections, and a fresh perspective on design. The end
result: a multi-billion
dollar industry.
The message I want to
communicate is this is a legitimate segment within the fashion industry. By
2002, the market was pegged at $58 billion.
Q: What was the highlight of your research? In the
course of your research, what discovery surprised you the most? What surprises readers/others
the most about your research?
There were several highlights in my research. During the
course of my research I discovered that before modeling for Thierry Muglier,
African actor/model Djimon Hounsou
(notable films include Amistad
and Blood Diamond. He also has a
child with fashionista Kimora Lee Simmons) was hired to be the Cross Colours
spokesmodel. In essence, Hounsou was the first urban supermodel. In addition, I
discovered that U.S. Supreme Court associate justice Sonia Sotomayor was an
attorney for the private firm Pavia & Harcourt and had sued Harlem tailor Dapper Dan on behalf of her client Fendi
for counterfeiting. Drug
dealers, hustlers, rap stars, entertainers and athletes would rely on one man—
the legendary Dapper Dan—for their custom wares from the early to late
eighties. Taking the logos of luxury designers like Louis Vuitton, Gucci,
Chanel and MCM, Dapper Dan was the A-list designer for the streets.
Q: How did your research change your outlook on hip hop and fashion?
My research didn’t change my outlook
on hip hop fashion at all. In fact, what it did, was allow me to discover the
multiple layers to the hip hop fashion story. There were many contributing
factors to why the hip hop fashion market exploded and later imploded.
Q: How have people reacted to your book and/or the ideas you set
forth? Is it what you hoped for, or is there more work to be done?
So far, the reaction to the book has
been very positive. Reviewers—ranging from academics, hip hop experts and
fashion leaders—have all seen the merits of the book and its subject matter.
The story of how hip hop fashion came to be has been told in fragments, but
this books helps shape its context by addressing the various components that
made it go mainstream.
Q: What's next for you?
I’d like to translate the book onto
film as a documentary as well as curate an exhibit on this very topic.
No comments:
Post a Comment