Style Equation Magazine - THE STYLE OF MUSIC ISSUE | Page 94

Another of Wright’s pieces, showcases designer Louis Vuitton in Kanye
West’s 2005 megahit “Gold Digger.” “Cutie the bomb, met her at a
beauty salon, with a baby Louis Vuitton under her underarm.” The woman, though she may be a gold digger, is at the height of fashion.
Wright also notices that fashion and hip-hop have grown in their relation to one another. While at one point, embracing fashion and designer
labels might have been a signal of wealth and success, now it is about
branding and building an empire. Although Kanye might have been rapping about Louis Vuitton and wearing Bape sneakers, now he is designing his own line and making his presence known at numerous fashionable events, including befriending Vogue’s Anna Wintour and making a
splash at the annual Met Gala.
“It really speaks to how much more hip-hop has become more profitable
and more wide-reaching,” said Wright. “Now it seems like everyone has
a fashion line or a collaboration, and its a testament to how much more
hip-hop artists have become household names, and fashion was one of
the first areas to reflect that.”
But hip-hop will always have its styles of choice, and reflect that proudly
in its music. Some flash, bling and of course, sneakers have become
staples for hip-hop royalty and their street-style counterparts.