October 30th sees the release of new documentary Fresh Dressed, which chronicles the history and the rise of urban fashion, interviewing everyone from Kanye West to Riccardo Tisci. Hip Hop is basically taking over the world right now, and it’s about freaking time. I was always the girl rocking baggy Billionaire Boys Club and my (potentially far too extensive) collection of Nike IDs while my parents whined ‘whyyy can’t you be more like a girl?’.
Now – though admittedly I’m dressing a little more like a ‘girl’ - designers from Giuseppe Zanotti to Saint Laurent are designing trainers, and oversized and street looks are everywhere – other than the people of Cannes, no one will bat an eyelid if you’ve got trainers on your feet.
Look at any high-street store or high fashion catwalk over the last few seasons, and the influence of hip hop culture is obvious. This summer, I even bought a beach bag that reads: ‘I got 99 problems but a beach ain’t one’ – thanks for that one, Jay.
This isn’t anything new, of course. Back in 1991, Karl Lagerfeld’s Chanel collection showed models dripping with gold jewellery, no doubt influenced by Hip Hop. Tommy Hilfiger revealed in last year’s VH1 Documentary The Tanning Of America that he used to commute home to Connecticut through Harlem, just to see what people were wearing. He would incorporate what he saw on the streets into his designs, and so it began.
As Hip Hop music itself has become more and more mainstream, charting and selling better than ever before, the stars of that culture have become people that we look to and aspire towards. Starting with what they’re wearing - case in point being the last two winners of the CFDA’s Fashion Icon Awards: Pharrell and Rihanna.
In homage, I’ve rounded up five Hip Hop inspired brands to get onto your radar and into your wardrobes, pronto.
1. Melody Ehsani
I first came across LA based Melody Ehsani when I spotted Cassie wearing a huge pair of bright pink lightning bolt earrings. A pretty thorough Google search later (never underestimate the Googling abilities of a woman on a mission!) and I discovered one of my favourite brands to date. From the super cool jewellery that she’s built a reputation on (Rihanna and Beyonce are fans) to her equally impressive apparel range, and a newly launched trainer collection with Reebok - which sold out so fast I hadn’t even managed to fully open my eyes when my alarm went off in the middle of the night as I tried to get my feet into a pair - she’s smashing it. Best thing about her stuff? It’s super affordable.
2. Trapstar
Chances are you maaay have heard of this one. When Jay Z gets involved, things tend to get pretty big, pretty fast. At least that’s what London based street wear label Trapstar realized when Hov invested in them a couple of years back. Not bad for a co-sign, huh?
3. Hood By Air
Perfecting their aesthetic from the early days of oversized t-shirts, Hood By Air has become a favourite at New York Fashion Week, and just a few months ago took home the Swarovski Emerging Talent award at the CFDAs.
4. Married To The Mob
Because what makes you feel cooler than rapping along to your favourite Hip Hop songs? Legit nothing. Married To The Mob has taken some of the catchiest lyrics, from ‘Or Nah’ to ‘I Don’t Fuck With You’ and put them on t-shirts, hats, socks... Gimme! The label was borne out of Leah Sweeney’s annoyance at streetwear’s exclusion of girls, and she calls herself a ‘Fine Ass Feminist’. A woman after my own heart, for sure.
5. Dime piece
Often hailed as one of the most prevalent women’s streetwear brands, Dime Piece oozes attitude. You’ve probably spotted their ‘ain’t no wifey’ tees on Cara Delevingne et al.
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.