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Thursday, 20 May 2010

Rap-onomics

Hip-Hop as an Influence On Today's Fashion.

What started as the Hip-Hop movement in the South Bronx back in the seventies has today morphed into what is commonly refered to as Urban Culture.

Largely because of rap music, one can tune into the voices and find the faces of today's youth at any point in the day. Having proven themselves as marketable entertainers with successful music careers, rappers and rnb singers alike regulary endorse corporate products (such as Missy Elliot-The Gap, Pharell Williams-LV and Moncler, Kanye West-LV, 50 Cent-Reeebok, Jay-Z-Reebok, Tyrese-Calvin Klein).

By the late 1980's, advitisers like the Gap, Nike, PhatFarm, SeanJohn, Tommy Hilfiger and other major fashion houses had already incorporated hip-hop's nuances into their advertising campaigns.

In the proces, images and ideas that define youth culture for this generation- such as designer clothes, like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Hermes, ever changing styles of dress and local colloquialisms- are beamed out to a captive international audience.

For something that began in the South Bronx in the seventies, to steadily grow into a major international cultural movement today, is a great achievement. There is no denying that hip-hop as an agent of social change has influenced the way today's fashion houses communicate their products to a younger audience.

6 comments:

Biana said...

Nice post, and you're right, it is a great achievement for sure.

Anonymous said...

Love the title. people don't realise how much rap, has influenced our culture today.

The Photodiarist said...

I love hiphop. Great observations, as usual. You write well.

Nadine2point0 said...

Rap-onomics..funny!
Love this post, great writing.
I am always surprised to see some of the classic fashion houses dive deep into urban trends - I guess I feel like the challenge could go to the many newer and younger designers out there. Sometimes IMO the classic houses - you mentioned a couple here - they try a bit too hard (case in point Balenciaga SS2010 RTW...hoodies? the make-up even in the show) to be current. A pick on them only because I admire the way they manipulate materials.
Anyhow, check it out and let me know what you think.
Have a good day!

daniela kate morosini said...

so you HAVE heard of the kanye west for louis vuitton thing :) there's always something though provoking on your blog. i think jay z sort of has the monopoly on hip hop fashion. especially with his wife and her house of dereon line.

Lady M said...

Great post!
Music has a lot of histories.
Music and fasion are strongly correlated.
Music is human history.

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