80s Hip Hop - The Influence on Fashion Today

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(6-9) INTRODUCTION - an era overview.

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(5) an ABSTRACT.

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(16-21) A (very) BRIEF HISTORY TO HIP-HOP. (22-39) HIP-HOP THEN, HIP-HOP NOW, a full circle concept.

(40-45) IN CONVERSATION WITH... my mother.

(46-47) A CONCLUSION. (48-51) REFERENCES.

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ABS TRACT. In this essay, I will be answering the question of which era holds the most influence today with the time period of New Romanticism and Power Dressing of 1979 to 1987, specifically looking at the concept of sportswear, logomania and its links to the Hip-Hop genre of the era – whilst looking at music as an influence in a general sense.

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INTR ODUC TION.

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troduction. introduction. introduction. introduction. introduction. introductio Fashion is a constantly evolving industry, where any one aspect from any time can develop and change to fit and be appropriated for another moment. We were able to see it through following the detriments to fashion from large events such as war for example, how it was adapted to suit the zeitgeist and attitude of the people from the time. Even more so, we see many “trends� of the past either coming back in or being updated in a current manner, such as the Make do and Mend era – in a time where sustainability is key to grasp, we find ourselves looking back to old attitudes and looking to how we can suit them to our current needs (in this case, we see it through the resale market with websites such as Depop or Vinted, or through old garments being reworked into something new).

This time, I am looking to the era of 1979 to 1987 which was the era of Power Dressing and New Romantics.

The eighties had a huge variety of fashionable attributes, all different but at the same time were comparable to a bold style, included items such as ripped jeans, oversized blazers, neon colour palettes, and it is no wonder when the style icons of the era were people such as Joan Jett, Madonna and Princess Diana.

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RODUCTION. INTRODUCTION. INTRODUCTION. INTRO

Although the era offers a plentiful amount of influences to today’s fashion, I have decided to hone down onto the links it shares with the music industry. Music and fashion are linked on a massive scale, musical attributes help to develop main cultural points as well as sub-cultural groups, who develop a style based on the music in order for people to be Specifically, I’m going to look at how HipHop helped to build the sportswear/street culture trend and how over time both have developed hand in hand together.

For these I have gained some primary sourced insight from both my parents into the different aspects listed here. During these years, my parents both deepened their admiration for retrospectively different types of music, which furthermore influenced what they wore. I decided for my primary research, I would informally interview them about their experience with the links between fashion and music at the time, and to quiz them on how relevant they believe it to be today.

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PRIMARY. PRIMARY. PRIMARY. PRIMA

My father, I believe has the most experience out of both of my parents, of this concept through his occupation at the time. This consisted of working at the “local” (and by local, I mean closest!) nightclub, known at the time as ‘The Octagon’, up in Bangor of North Wales. His role was controlling/ working the lighting during the opening hours, as well as capturing promotional content for the club (in the form of video and photography), and helping gauge the reaction to what was known as white label records of the time.

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When I questioned him on his time there and what he noticed regarding the fashion, he told me there was a large mix depending on the scene of which people were into.

More commonly he told me that fashion in the club scene was smart clothing, which was comfortable to move in, to make it suitable for the dance movement nature of the clubs. This to me makes plenty of sense as it would have been important for the clothing and to be versatile for people to have the ability to move freely. This to me contrasted hugely to today, specifically for women as many of us these days go out in much tighter fitting outfits, which are less comfortable to move in but that make us look good, and I think that is something which is different when comparing the past to the present.

PRIMARY. PRIMARY. PRIMARY. PRIM in conversation with... my father

Interestingly, at the time, clubs would be known to turn people away if they were not dressed in an appropriate manner – no denim would be allowed, whether it be a jacket or jeans, no form of sportswear and smart shoes were a must! “A lot, or most clubs I should say wouldn’t let you in without a tie” he told me. This is different in comparison today, where the sense of individuality can shine a lot more than it previously would have been.

The concept of practicality was only emphasised further when he told me of how he would “be having to wear the same comfortable and not restrictive clothes as the guests, instead of a proper uniform - apart from the usual octagon polo sported by many of the staff, because at the time when I was getting video recordings I’d have to be carrying around about seven grands worth of camera equipment, which at the time was obviously still expensive (so who knows how I was trusted with that job), but also heavy so it had to be carefully done but also in a comfortable way”

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A BRIEF HISTO HIP (very)

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a (very) brief history to hip-hop

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A (VERY) BRIEF HISTORY TO HIP-HOP

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Although the eighties were full of many amazing and influential to this day musical acts, the specific genre I am talking about and its influence is that of Hip-Hop. For context, New York saw the beginnings of the genre as it came about in the seventies in a time where demographic was changing and shifting, so even in the era of the eighties it is still relatively new, “DJ Kool Herc who kick started the movement historically perceived as an expression of urban youth - and before too long had spread across the entire borough where it soon became a celebration as well as a powerful tool used during protests.” (Stolworthy, 2017). It came with using influences from funk and soul, developing to the concept of sampling (which it’s influence we see hugely today through a more developed and branched genre, especially as ‘SoundCloud rap’) and breakdancing was developed in the eighties as an element of the eclectic genre. “Hip hop is more than music; it’s a cultural movement that incorporates different elements of art. Four foundational elements characterize hip hop culture. The original four main pillars of hip hop include DJing/turntablism, MCing/rapping, B-boying/breaking, and visual/graffiti art.” (PQ, 2019).

Hip-Hop was not just about the music – it was a lifestyle and system of attitudes.

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A (VERY) BRIEF HISTORY TO HIP-HOP

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HIP-HO HIP now, 22)

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OP then, P-HOP hip hop then, hip hop now - a full circle concept

a full circle concept.

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As stated, the Hip-Hop genre really gained traction in the seventies, leading to it being a hugely influential genre evidently so in the eighties. Aspects we see developed and reflected to this day are things like musical sampling, logomania, the influence that came from Dapper Dan, an early days (less legal) version of what we now know to be the resale market, as well as collaborative culture and sneaker culture.

“The early 1980s was a vital turning point for hip hop and music production. Synthesizers, samplers, and drum machines became cheaper and more accessible...

Sampling technology also emerged during the 1980s.”

(PQ, 2019) and these developmental elements only kept moving forward, coining the eighties as the ‘golden age of Hip-Hop’, where “by the mid-1980s, hip hop had firmly entered its new school era” (Milliman, 2019), as new ‘strains’ so to speak of the genre would shine out in different places as the culture expanded. Although not directly influential on any one singular point of fashion today, this concept is something which by developing has given way to new subcultures. For example, the concept of sampling is heavily used in sub-genres such as ‘SoundCloud rap’ and ‘emo rap’, artists such as Lil Peep deemed pioneers of – but this sampled musical rap sound (which plenty of would come from ‘rock’ subgenre groups such as Three Days Grace), along with its contextually emotionally charged lyrics has helped to shape today’s version of ‘alternative’ fashion, hand in hand with the generation of the TikTok E-Boy/E-Girl.

Hip-Hop took a different approach towards fashion when compared to other genres such as Punk and Rock, “movements like punk were founded on anti-fashion ideals and stood in contrast to consumption and capitalism. HipHop fully embraced it from the start…” (DeLeon et al., 2019), where dressing fashionable was a competition, “...every rapper boasted he dressed better than the rest” (DeLeon et al., 2019).

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DAPPER D

Interestingly through my research into what the genre had to offer, I was introduced to the influence of the man known as “Dapper Dan”, a Harlem tailor who used fabrics from brands like Gucci and Fendi and upcycled (as we know it to be called today) then into street-style garments like tracksuits, “He defined fashion in “the hood” and in celebrity culture. According to him, dapper no longer belonged just to Wall Street and business professionals; Dan claimed the term for the Black community…he opened the first couture atelier ever in Harlem and stood up to racial discrimination in the fashion industry.” (Elliot, 2020) but it was this same boutique which had forced closure pushed upon it due to legal action from luxury label, Fendi. “In 1985, when LL Cool J turned up at the store, Dan’s reputation reached the rap game.” (Brumfitt, 2014).

“Although he is most well-known for his designs during the 80s, Daniel Day – aka Dapper Dan – still has a strong influence on contemporary fashion” (Cadogan, 2017) and despite the early legal rising issues, “decades later, Day frequently collaborates with the same high-fashion world that once legally prosecuted him: with Gucci, for example, he recently collaborated on a mens-wear line and an atelier in Harlem.”

(Marchese, 2019) “I saw the relationship between fur, diamonds and fashion symbols. Black people on the rise wanted furs and diamonds. Then when I saw people’s attachment to fashion symbols. I said: “Wow, this is just as important to them as the diamonds and the furs. So, let me find an angle that I can build on.” If they feel that good from a little Louis Vuitton pouch, imagine what they’d feel if I made them look like luggage?... Logomania is probably my biggest achievement in terms of fashion. I’m the father of logo-mania.” (Dapper Dan to Marchese, 2019).

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per dan. dapper dan. dapper dan. dapper dan. dapper dan. dapper dan. dappe

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Logomania concepts are still incredibly relevant today, and it is something that I reference in my primary research through conversating with my mother about her experience with it in her youth. To be deemed as the ‘father’ of logomania, it goes to show just how heavy the influence of Dapper Dan is on today’s society in regards of what people wear but also the awareness that brands must have in order to brand themselves and to set the correct image which fuels the concept of logo as a sense of social status.

This showed heavy influence on today in the way that he created upcycled garments, which is an extremely popular and growing sustainable approach to creating clothing - it also reminds me of the way that certain branded trainers such as Nike Air Force 1’s are reworked with Louis Vuitton monogram patterns as well as other luxury labels, “…sick customs… elevated Air Force 1’s with an LV bag cut as a swoosh or an OffWhite belt as the tongue. Incredible. Genius. Visionary. Who would’ve thought to take luxury garments and upcycle them into something completely fresh!? Well… Dapper Dan, that’s who! And all the way back in the 80’s too, when there was no such thing as social media” (Dadaille, 2020). Researching more into the techniques of garment creation as displayed through the work of Dapper Dan, I found Japanese designer Daisuke, “Daisuke is a surrealist fashion designer, like Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1920s, who uses the cut-up technique created by Dapper Dan in the 1980s.” (Kia, 2020).

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the

LO-LIFE It can also be argued that this era of hip-hop also led to the concept of the resale market! An example of this are the Lo-Lifes, a Brooklyn collective who would shoplift large quantities of stock and would re-sell on the stolen garments that they had left over or did not want for themselves. “The Lo Lifes formed in 1988 from the union of two shoplifting crews from Brooklyn: Ralphie’s Kids from Crown Heights, and Polo U.S.A. from Brownsville.” (Caramanica, 2016).

Rudy-Lo, part of the group recalled to Complex, “The first clothes we took were Benetton. Then we did Guess, Tommy [Hilfiger], and Polo stores. Polo got the most attention, though, so we would get that the most. We took ladies’ clothes, too. We would go to nail and hair salons to sell them. Sometimes we would even sell clothes on the train going home.” (Diaz, 2015) Obviously today in comparison the resale market is much more legal, regardless of the ethical questions of purchasing a garment for £20 then being able to sell it on whist picking up an additional £80 profit, for example!

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fes. the lo-lifes. the lo-lifes. the lo-lifes. the lo-lifes. the lo-lifes. the lo-lifes

Collaboration and sneakers are huge parts of today, both infiltrating the industry further than primarily sportwear/streetwear brands. The 80s saw what is referenced to be one of the first ideas of this. Between Run DMC and Adidas, seeing a signature line and endorsements being assigned to the group after being impressed with the link between their fanbase and the Adidas shoes. This concept has been seen so far developed to today, for example we now see Hip-Hop household names teaming up with luxury household names, such as Pharrell and Timberland or ASAP Rocky and Dior, even straight up linking between the official collaboration between Dapper Dan and Gucci. Notably as well, the Jordan sneakers were created.

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RY. PRIMARY. PRIMARY. PRIMARY. in conversation with... my mother The same way I did with my father, I approached my mother with some questions about the influence music had on her and her fashion choices.

Through the eighties, and further on nineties (the relevance of that era becomes clear further down the line!), my mothers’ taste in music was described as eclectic. Developing from the likes of Madonna, to groups such as Duran Duran, to rap artists like Biggie Smalls and Tupac and then more glam rock musicians like Motley Crue. Because of this, I have always grown up with a diverse amount of music which really helped to push my interest further into this topic.

When speaking about fashion trends in relation to these artists, she told me many stories and had images to show me of how her style had evolved over the years, agreeing that there was a direct link between music and fashion. Neon green nail polish she told me, inspired by Madonna, got her some attention on a holiday to Italy for unexpected reasons (as it turned out, to wear green nail polish there during this time was a signifier of being a sex worker!).

PRIMARY. PRIMARY. PRIMARY. PRIMA in conversation with... my mother

Interestingly, as an Aerosmith fan, she was introduced to Run DMC through their collaboration of the popular ‘Walk This Way’ collaboration. This itself opened her up to the Hip-Hop genre of music, as it did many of her peers at the time. This is relevant as we still see this sense of genre mixing today, interestingly through sub-genre of Rock-Rap, which furthermore affects a style.

For a current day example, artist Machine Gun Kelly who was predominantly a rap artist, has combined his style of rap with a more rockier sound in collaboration with Travis Baker (Blink-182), on his newest album (“Tickets to my Downfall”), taking on a 2000s rock vibe.

When questioned about logomania, she laughed, as it was hugely relevant to her growing up. Before clarifying, she herself called it a “sense of status, to wear certain names would show how clued up you were, as well as identifying with a specific scene which to us back then was mainly dictated by the music we listened to”.

“Looking back, especially with what you’ve told me, it really is easy to see just how my style in the nineties when I became more interested in what the Hip-Hop scene had to offer was derived from what became apparent in the eighties” I had aimed to conduct a shoot session using old garments of my mother’s which was inspired by the Sportswear and Logo take over of the eighties, and contrast it with my own garments from today to highlight the influence, but unfortunately due to current circumstances I was unable to obtain these.

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Not only do we see the Hip-Hop genre influencing the growth of sportswear brands and logo items in the eighties via musical artists such as Run DMC and N.W.A, but we see it furthermore as a constant development through the artists deemed the zeitgeist - for example the nineties saw artists rise such as Tupac and The Notorious B.I.G but the development of street culture has always gone hand in hand. We also see aspects of the eighties Hip-Hop influencing fashion culture of today in more unsuspecting ways, such as the concept of what we now know as the resale market or garment reworking and upcycling, even down to the obsession of sneaker culture (the development of popularity of Jordan sneakers has only grown!) and collaboration.

I think that all of these aspects are so hugely influential on today’s sense of fashion, even down to its sustainable aspects – resale of garments (although for different reasons when contrasted between today and the past) and upcycling & reworking garments to keep them relevant to the right audience (as inspired by the works of Dapper Dan), the approach being the same in regard to logomania which was attributed to Dapper Dan, and just even the way of which the music scene has continued to develop - and reference fashion in its lyrics! For example, UK Grime Rap artists such as Dave and Skepta name drop Virgil Abloh and brands like Off-White in their music, artists of the genre even being invited to fashion week shows. Streetwear and streetwear brands are of the most popular today and the styles and brands infiltrate each market by bubbling up from the past influences, which are evidently timeless and will only keep growing with influence.

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and images

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Brumfitt, from

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Caramanica, J. (2016). The Gang That Brought High Fashion to Hip-Hop (Published 2016). Nytimes.com. , from https://www.nytimes.com/2016/06/30/fashion/lo-lifes-fashion-hip-hop.html.

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(2020).

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Kia, K. (2020). This Genius Fashion Instagram Transforms Upcycled Items Into Collectable Designer Fashion and Accessories.POPSUGARFashionUK.fromhttps://www.popsugar.co.uk/fashion/japanese-fashion-designer-daisuke-47919678 Marchese, D. (2019). Dapper Dan on Creating Style, Logomania and Working With Gucci (Published 2019).

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FIG 1 - untitled-article-1444143829.jpg (850×477) (vice.com) FIG 2 - rediscovered-photos-of-the-80s-hip-hop-scene-body-image-1444144626.jpg (850×1275) (vice.com) FIG 3 - rediscovered-photos-of-the-80s-hip-hop-scene-body-image-1444145205.jpg (850×566) (vice.com) FIG 4 - 1087166.jpg (640×815) (netdna-ssl.com) FIG 5 - Voguing---The-House-of-Sa-002.jpeg (400×588) (squarespace-cdn.com) FIG 6 - a5d9fc7e849444f2a6e8e609917b1380.jpeg (640×473) (sohucs.com) FIG 7 - dapper-dan-gucci-06.jpg (1600×1067) (highsnobiety.com) FIG 8 - d70591582d2f435db49cd93216364fca-4-superJumbo.jpg (824×768) (nyt.com)

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FIG 9 - d70591582d2f435db49cd93216364fca-5-jumbo.jpg (1024×685) (nyt.com) FIG 10 - 07mag-talk-dapperdan-03-superJumbo.jpg (750×587) (nyt.com) FIG 11 - 1087173.jpg (1025×850) (netdna-ssl.com) FIG 12 - lolifeflick21-1_rgttu2.jpg (1200×800) (complex.com) FIG 13 - 30LO-LIFES-WEB2-superJumbo.jpg (1152×1409) (nyt.com) FIG 14 - lo_image8-250x350.jpg (250×350) (phbooks.s3.amazonaws. com) FIG 15 – 4fe5db3c6490ab711350d1053e20fd77.jpg (563×703) (pinimg. com)

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