The Influence of Hip Hop Style and Fashion

Hip Hop, as a whole, was one of the greatest cultural movements of contemporary times. It influenced pop culture and fashion in all corners of the world.

Hip Hop artists and enthusiasts not only expressed themselves through music, dance, and graffiti, they adopted a style where their clothes said a lot about the culture and their personalities.

Between the 70s and 90s, in the ghettos of the United States, the fashion originating from the Hip Hop Movement found in names like Jamel Shabazz, who photographed the emerging scene of the time, and Karl Kani (fashion designer and founder of the Karl Kani brand), the aesthetic and potential to put hip hop culture on the fashion radar. They proved right from the start that this was a trend that was definitely here to stay.

Photo: P. Diddy wearing Karl Kani Clothes (Pioneering brand in Men's Hip Hop Fashion)

At the same time, many other icons would emerge to add to and compose this visual ensemble we know today. The emergence of the Adidas Superstar model, one of the first leather models made to contrast with those that until then were only produced in canvas (at the time widely used by basketball players), were adopted and disseminated by Run-DMC. The rap group, a sensation during the 80s, also contributed to the success of the Adidas A-15 jacket and pants set, strengthening and popularizing the brand in this segment, until then unexplored by Adidas and other relevant brands of the time.

Photo: Reproduction - Rappers of the group Run DMC

The use of bomber jackets also marked the hip hop aesthetic at the time. The piece, known for having elastic at the cuffs, collar, and hem, intended to create a kind of seal to protect the body from the cold, is one of the pieces that easily feature in the elementary items popularized by the hip hop and urban scene of the time. The Bomber Jacket has even stood the test of time and reappears now and then with new prints, materials, and finishes.

In accessories and details, the hip hop scene from the 70s to the 90s also proved to be avant-garde. Much of what we see today in major brands, such as: caps, bucket hats, and gold accessories were part of an aesthetic that was being explored and disseminated by rappers, DJs, B-boys, B-girls, and graffiti artists.

Brands also realized that many Hip Hop enthusiasts sought in ostentation a factor of differentiation and notability. Thus reaffirming the need to show power through what one has, wears, or uses. Logomania became increasingly strong from that point on. And brands like Tommy Hilfiger, Polo Ralph Lauren, Gucci, Nike, Adidas, and others knew how to use this. The logos (already well-known to the American capitalist public) were represented on entire parts of shirts, pants, sweatshirts, and jackets.

Rapper Snoop Dogg and the female group Destiny Child by Tommy Hilfiger

In parallel, Michael Jordan, one of the greatest icons of all time, launched the Air Jordan line in partnership with Nike. The flirtation of Hip Hop Style with the world of sports took on new contours; basketball and even skateboarding influenced the creation of pieces, which were initially used for specific practices, consolidated and left the courts and tracks directly for fashion editorials and the feet of the boldest crowd.

Photos/Reproductions

It is definitely valid to say that the aesthetic brought by hip hop culture has cemented its place in fashion history as one of the most democratic and timeless that exist, because by aligning identity, usability, and comfort, the pieces that were initially designed to give voice and create a wardrobe for names like Tupac, Will Smith, and Aaliyah, the style transcended time dressing Jay-Z, Kanye West, and Rihanna and was reinvented and conquered the world with names like A$AP Rocky, SZA, Travis Scott, and others.

The Hip Hop Style and Fashion continues to be a purely urban aesthetic that reflects the times of a fashion that needs dynamism, fluidity, design, and at the same time "converses" with the personality of those who choose to wear it.

 Photos/Reproductions

Get inspired by Hip Hop Style/Fashion and find several women's and men's pieces to compose your look in our online store.