Dapper Dan has come a long way from designing original pieces using high-fashion labels and materials for his cult following which turned mainstream after the likes of LL Cool J, KRS-One, Mike Tyson, Salt-n-Pepa, Big Daddy Kane, Jay Z, and so many more prestigious members of the culture became Dan’s clientele.
Of course, when the creatives and executives at these high-fashion labels like Louis Vuitton and Gucci found about Dapper Dan’s upper echelon curated streetwear, they sent cease-and-desist lawyers in his direction, and some labels even ripped off his streetwear ideas causing a significant rift between Dan and these fashion brands.
Now, decades later, Alessandro Michele, who was recently crowned the creative director of Gucci in 2015, is the first to reach out to the legendary streetwear designer in order to curate a collection reminiscent of the late ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s complete with oversized logos, tailored track pants, full tracksuits, hoodies, and more for both women and men. The unveiling of the Dapper Dan x Gucci Collection is in conjunction with the opening of Gucci’s SoHo storefront at 63 Wooster Street which will feature more pieces from the collaborative effort in a wider array of options not released to the public and will be sold throughout the 2018 Fall/Winter seasons.
In a written press release, Gucci had this to say about both their collab with Dan and their first ever SoHo storefront, “In homage to the culturally rich artistic heritage of SoHo, Gucci is collaborating with icons that have transcended the passage of time and align with the Houses’ distributive spirit.”
Streetwear is the origin of where most fashion begins, and as a culture, this is common knowledge, and even though it’s taken decades for Dapper Dan to receive proper recognition from these high-end fashion brands, it’s always good to see a street legend get his credit.