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Kanye West and North West
Rappers stepping into the fashion industry has been going on since the late ’80s and early ’90s. Brands like JAY-Z’s Rocawear and Diddy’s Sean John reflected their personal aesthetics and inevitably rose to fame alongside their music careers. Hip Hop mainstays not only bridged the gap between culture and style, but also proved that there was a demand from fans to get clothing designed by their favorite artists.
From Pharrell’s Billionaire Boys Club to Tyler, the Creator’s Golf Wang, the rapper-launched brands range from streetwear to high-end fashion. Many of them embody the personal journeys and artistic visions of their founders. That being said, some apparel labels only had limited success on the market, which either mirrored that of their creators or was caused by behind-the-scenes logistics. Nonetheless, this list explores how rappers-turned-designers have left a stamp on the fashion industry and the Hip Hop genre.
1. Yeezy
Although he previously used the moniker during his collaborations with Nike, Kanye West officially launched his Yeezy brand with Adidas in 2015. Thanks to releases like the Boost 350 V2 and the Foam Runners’ unique silhouette, West’s brand rapidly became one of the most lucrative partnerships in modern fashion.
Yeezy’s minimalist, military-influenced apparel featured inspired designs and neutral color palettes, with frequent appearances of distressing, custom-dyed fabrics and utilitarian details like cargo pockets. Notably, celebrities like Teyana Taylor, Chanel Iman, Paris Hilton, Naomi Campbell, Justin Bieber and none other than Kim Kardashian have been spotted wearing the label, whether in runway shows or out in public.
By 2019, Yeezy was generating roughly $1.5 billion in annual revenue, rivaling Air Jordan both in cultural and commercial impact. However, following West’s antisemitic remarks in October 2022, Adidas