Dapper Dan | |
---|---|
Born | Daniel Day August 8, 1944 New York City, U.S. |
Other names | "Dap" |
Occupations |
|
Years active | 1982–present |
Known for | Dapper Dan's Boutique, Dapper Dan's of Harlem |
Daniel R. Day (born August 8, 1944), known as Dapper Dan, is an American fashion designer and haberdasher from Harlem, New York. [1] His store, Dapper Dan's Boutique, operated from 1982 to 1992 and is most associated with introducing high fashion to hip hop culture; its clientele includes Mike Tyson, Eric B. & Rakim, Salt-N-Pepa, LL Cool J, and Jay-Z. In 2017, he launched a fashion line with Gucci, with whom he opened a second store and atelier, Dapper Dan's of Harlem, in 2018. [2] [3]
Dan is included in Time's 100 Most Influential People of 2020. [4]
Dan was born in Harlem, New York, in 1944, at home with his grandmother acting as a midwife. [5] He grew up on 129th and Lexington Avenue with three brothers and three sisters. His father, Robert, was a civil servant and his mother, Lily, a homemaker. [6] All nine of them lived in a three-bedroom apartment. [5] He recalls horses and buggies still on the streets in his early childhood, in the post-World War II days of Manhattan. By age 13, he was a skilled gambler; his success as a gambler helped him finance his first store. [7]
Dapper Dan became tired of the street life after listening to a Malcolm X speech. Malcolm X said, "If you want to understand the flower, study the seed." This prompted Dan to indulge in studying at the Countee Cullen Library. He soon went back to school and entered into an academic program sponsored by the Urban League and Columbia University. [8]
In the 1960s, Dan worked for a Harlem newspaper called Forty Acres and a Mule, as he initially wanted to become a writer. [8] During this time he went through a life-style change and became a vegetarian. In 1968–74, he toured Africa as part of the Columbia University and the Urban League academic program. [6]
When Dan returned to New York in 1974, he decided to be a clothier, and first sold shoplifted items out of his car. [6] Dapper Dan's Boutique, located on 125th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues, opened in 1982, and at times was open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. [7] Dan approached his designs through personal experience, specifically from his previous jobs. Being a professional gambler taught him that what a person wears will influence how people interact with them, so he used this unspoken language in his designs. Dan's previous disciplines are also what prepared him to simultaneously be a creative director and businessman. Additionally, he was an observer and approached his designs from a psychological point of view. When working with a new client, he would ask himself "Who are they?" and "What do they want?" [9]
Dan originally planned to be a clothing wholesaler but soon faced prejudice as he ventured out. He struggled to buy the textiles and furs he needed, as most companies refused to do business with him because of his race or location. Instead of purchasing outfits to sell, he began teaching himself as much as he could about the industry so he could create his own designs from scratch. [10] He would go to the public library in Midtown to study fashion and symbols, and became inspired by the power of timeless logos. [11] Selling his own furs was a way for Dan to get away from his old lifestyle, and he began designing furs specifically because they were a Harlem fashion staple. Irving Chaiken, Dapper Dan's friend, taught Dan different manufacturing techniques for furs, ranging from chinchilla to fox. Fred the Furrier became Dan's fur wholesale supplier, and Fred's brother was the one that persuaded Dan to expand into leather goods. He noticed designers like Louis Vuitton and Gucci were only designing bags, wallets and luggage out of leather, but he wanted to make garments out of leather. This is what essentially inspired him to make his infamous jacket for Diane Dixon. [11] Despite his connections, Dapper Dan struggled finding pattern makers and seamstresses that could properly execute his designs. Dan himself could not sew and did not consider himself a tailor, despite how the media depicted him, but eventually he found a team he worked well with. [9] Dapper Dan referred to his designer-inspired designs as knock-ups, as he felt they were too extravagant to be called knock-offs. [11] Dan states that he would never design anything that the luxury fashion houses would think of because his designs were too cutting edge. [12] He used fabrics he designed himself after teaching himself textile printing. [7] Notably, he invented a new process for screen printing onto leather, and would later also design jewelry and car interiors for luxury automobiles. [13]
The opening of his store in the early 1980s coincided with the crack cocaine epidemic and the rise of hip-hop music, both of which boosted his clientele. Dan's trademark was his bold usage of logos from high-end luxury brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton and Fendi. [10] [13] His first boutique was about the size of a grocery store, where clients would come in late after clubbing/partying. Dan even had security that would stand outside of a gate, while they monitored the entrance. Dan would regularly sleep in his makeshift apartment in the back of the boutique. He would do this not only because the boutique was sometimes opened 24/7, but also because some clients would request a 24-hour turnaround on their garments. One of Dan's clients further sparked his interest in logos, when she came in with a new Louis Vuitton clutch. He had never seen one in person before and this is what changed the game for him.[ further explanation needed ] [9] Dapper Dan's original boutique is now a chain school called Harlem Children's Zone Academy. [14]
Though his clothing was often referred to as streetwear, Day's early clients in the 1980s were inspired significantly by the fashion flamboyance of Rat Pack icons like Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis Jr. His main clientele were "hustlers and street people" [10] —including drug kingpin Alpo Martinez—some of whom even requested bullet-proof parkas and hats. [13] [10] [15]
Day ventured into hip hop fashion in 1985, when he first styled LL Cool J, and Day has since been associated with hip-hop royalty. Eric B. & Rakim who wore Dapper Dan's designs on the cover of their iconic albums Paid in Full (1987) and Follow The Leader (1988). [13] He also created looks for The Fat Boys, Salt-N-Pepa, KRS-One, Bobby Brown, Jam Master Jay and Big Daddy Kane, as well as sports stars such as boxers Mike Tyson and Floyd Mayweather, and athlete Diane Dixon. [16]
Day's illegal use of logos in his custom-made designs led to counterfeiting raids and litigation, and ultimately the demise of his first store. In 1988, Tyson got into a brawl with Mitch Green outside his store, which put Dapper Dan's in the media spotlight for the first time. After Tyson was photographed wearing a "knock off" Fendi jacket from Dapper Dan—which was referred to as "an all-night clothing store that caters to performers" in The New York Times —interest in the store eventually brought his usage of European luxury fashion logos to the attention of the European luxury companies. [17] In 1992, after legal action by Fendi and then-U.S. Attorney Sonia Sotomayor, Dapper Dan's was shut down for good. [16] He was shunned by the mainstream fashion world for decades, though he continued to work "underground" as a designer. [6] [15] He began outfitting undefeated boxer Floyd Mayweather in 1999. [10]
In September 2006 to February 2007 the Museum of the City of New York Fashion, showcased Dapper Dan's samples in an exhibition called Black Styles Now. [11]
Day's career has been revitalized in the 2010s, and he has found mainstream success since 2017. [18] In mid-2017, in a homage to Dapper Dan, Gucci's creative director Alessandro Michele designed a jacket based on a well-known Dapper Dan design for Diane Dixon in 1989. The original was a fur-lined jacket with balloon sleeves covered in the Louis Vuitton logo, which Michele replaced with the double-G Gucci logo. Social media reacted when Dixon shared a photo of the Gucci jacket next to her in the original one, with Dixon requesting that Dapper Dan get credit for his original; many believed that Gucci had stolen the Dapper Dan design, especially due to Gucci not stating it to be a homage until after they drew criticism. [6] [19] Furthermore, this would lead to Diane Dixon proposing a Gucci and Dapper Dan collaboration. [8] Michelle and Dapper Dan used a subcultural when seeking out inspiration for their collection, to ensure a unique aesthetic. [20]
In 2017, with the support of Michele and Gucci CEO Marco Bizzarri, Day and the Italian brand partnered for a line of men's wear. [16] [18]
In 2018, Day opened a new atelier on Lenox Avenue in partnership with Gucci, Dapper Dan of Harlem, the first luxury house fashion store in Harlem. [2] [21]
In May 2019, Gucci released a limited edition of Dapper Dan's Harlem. [11]
Gucci Garden Gallery in Florence, references Dapper Dan and the infamous jacket. [11]
Dapper Dan is now a board member for reviewing applications for the Gucci Changemakers North America Scholarship program. [11]
In December 2023, Dapper Dan collaborated with American retailer Gap Inc. on a collection. [22]
Dapper Dan has worked with musicians like Bobby Brown, Eric B. & Rakim, LL Cool J, Big Daddy Kane and Salt-N-Pepa, essentially bridging the gap between hip-hop culture and luxury fashion. [23]
In 2001, Dapper Dan was referenced in a Jay-Z lyric in his song "U Don't Know" from his album The Blueprint . [24] In 2002, he was referenced multiple times in the Alpo Martinez crime film Paid in Full . [13] Additionally in 2019, he was referenced in the poem Dapper Dan Meets Petey Shooting Cee-lo by Willie Perdomo. [25]
In September 2016, prior to the premiere of the Netflix original series Luke Cage , Dapper Dan was featured in part of the "Street Level Hero" digital social video series to discuss Luke Cage, which is set in Harlem. [26] He subsequently appeared in two episodes of the series, one in the first season and one in the second, playing himself.
In November 2017, he appeared in a segment on Conan for Conan O'Brien's stay at the Apollo Theater in which he styled the talk show host. [27]
Day's memoir was published by Random House in 2019. Sony Pictures has already bought the rights to a film adaptation, with comedian Jerrod Carmichael attached as screenwriter and producer. [28] Day will serve as executive producer of the film. [29]
Spanish singer, Rosalía, referenced Mr. Dan in the track, 'Combi Versace', from her third studio album, MOTOMAMI.
In 2019 Dapper Dan was a guest judge on Project Runway for the street wear challenge; Season 17 Episode 5.
Nicki Minaj references Dan in her verse on the Lil Uzi Vert track "Endless Fashion".
Dapper Dan's first racial experience was hearing his parents talk about how the structure of white society was affecting them. [8]
Dan has had eight children with seven women: William Long, Daniel Day Jr., Danique Day, Aisha Day, Danielle Day, Malik Day, Tiffany White and Jelani Day, who is the brand manager for his father. [3]
Hip-hop fashion refers to the various styles of dress that originated from Urban Black America and inner city youth in cities like New York City, Atlanta, and Los Angeles. Being a major part of hip hop culture, it further developed in other cities across the United States, with each contributing different elements to the overall style that is now recognized worldwide.
Prada S.p.A. is an Italian luxury fashion house founded in 1913 in Milan by Mario Prada. It specializes in leather handbags, travel accessories, shoes, ready-to-wear, and other fashion accessories. Prada licenses its name and branding to Luxottica for eyewear and L’Oréal for fragrances and cosmetics.
Guccio Giovanbattista Giacinto Dario Maria Gucci was an Italian businessman and fashion designer and founder of the fashion house Gucci.
Guccio Gucci S.p.A., doing business as Gucci, is an Italian luxury fashion house based in Florence, Italy. Its product lines include handbags, ready-to-wear, footwear, accessories, and home decoration; and it licenses its name and branding to Coty for fragrance and cosmetics under the name Gucci Beauty.
Christian Dior SE, commonly known as Dior, is a French multinational luxury goods company that is controlled and chaired by French businessman Bernard Arnault, who also heads LVMH. As of December 2023, Dior controlled around 42% of the shares and 57% of the voting rights of LVMH. In addition, the Arnault family held a further 7% of the shares and 8% of the voting rights of LVMH as of that date.
Tommy Boy Records is an American independent record label and multimedia brand founded in 1981 by Tom Silverman. The label is credited with helping and launching the music careers of Queen Latifah, Amber, Afrika Bambaataa, Stetsasonic, Digital Underground, Coolio, De La Soul, House of Pain, Naughty By Nature, and Force MDs.
Joseph Guillermo Jones II, better known by his stage name Jim Jones, is an American rapper, record producer and record executive. He is a founding member of the hip hop collective the Diplomats, which he formed in 1997 with fellow Harlem native Cam'ron.
Radric Delantic Davis, known professionally as Gucci Mane, is an American rapper. He is credited, along with fellow Atlanta-based rappers T.I. and Jeezy, with pioneering the hip hop subgenre trap music for mainstream audiences during the 2000s. His debut studio album, Trap House (2005) was released by the independent label Big Cat Records and entered the Billboard 200; it was followed by Hard to Kill (2006), which spawned his first Billboard Hot 100 entry with its second single, "Freaky Gurl". That same year, he released his third album, Trap-A-Thon before signing with Atlantic Records to release his fourth album, Back to the Trap House (2007).
Streetwear is a style of casual clothing which became global in the 1990s. It grew from New York hip hop fashion and Californian surf culture to encompass elements of sportswear, punk, skateboarding, 1980s nostalgia, and Japanese street fashion. Later, haute couture became an influence, and was in turn influenced by streetwear. Streetwear centers on comfortable clothing and accessories such as jeans, T-shirts, baseball caps, and sneakers. Brands may create exclusivity through artificial scarcity; enthusiasts follow particular brands and try to obtain limited edition releases, including via proxy purchases.
Omotesandō (表参道) is a zelkova tree-lined avenue located in Shibuya and Minato, Tokyo, stretching from the Meiji Shrine entrance to Aoyama-dōri, where Omotesandō Station can be found.
Jacob Arabo is an American jewelry, watchmaker, who founded Jacob & Company in 1986 and grew it to become an international luxury brand. He began strictly as a jeweler with designs that appealed to celebrities who became regular customers.
History of fashion design refers specifically to the development of the purpose and intention behind garments, shoes, accessories, and their design and construction. The modern industry, based around firms or fashion houses run by individual designers, started in the 19th century with Charles Frederick Worth who, beginning in 1858, was the first designer to have his label sewn into the garments he created.
Yves Saint Laurent SAS, also known as Saint Laurent and YSL, is a French luxury fashion house founded in 1961 by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner, Pierre Bergé. The company specializes in haute couture, ready-to-wear, leather accessories, and footwear. Its cosmetics line, YSL Beauty, is owned by L'Oréal.
American rapper Gucci Mane has released 16 studio albums, 3 collaborative albums, 10 compilation albums, one soundtrack, 8 extended plays (EPs), 80 mixtapes and 100 singles and 16 promotional singles.
Darold Durard Brown Ferguson Jr., known professionally as FERG, is an American rapper from Harlem, New York City. He is a lead member of the hip hop collective ASAP Mob, from which he adopted his moniker and recording contract with Polo Grounds and RCA Records—the same labels that helped launch ASAP Worldwide—in January 2013. Two years prior, the group's cohorts, ASAP Rocky and the late ASAP Yams, effectively negotiated their own contract with the label.
Alessandro Michele is an Italian fashion designer and creative director of Valentino. He grew to international recognition as the creative director of Gucci, the Italian fashion luxury house where he worked from 2002 to 2022. Known for his maximalist designs, Alessandro Michele revived Gucci's popularity, most notably with a Geek-Chic aesthetic. He had been responsible for all of Gucci's collections and global brand image from January 2015 until he stepped down from the role in November 2022.
1017 Global Music, LLC, also known as The New 1017 Records, is an American record label founded by Gucci Mane in 2007. Its formation followed his departure from Mizay Entertainment and the dissolution of So Icey. The label's most notable artists include Gucci Mane, Young Thug, Waka Flocka Flame, Pooh Shiesty and OJ da Juiceman.
Enfants Riches Déprimés, also known as ERD, is a Los Angeles and Paris based luxury fashion brand founded in 2012 by the conceptual artist Henri Alexander Levy.
Misa Hylton is an American stylist and fashion designer. Known as a pioneer in the fashion industry, she has styled many hip-hop and R&B artists since the 1990s, most notably Lil' Kim and Mary J. Blige. Hylton's style, referred to as "hip-hop glamorous," has been credited with influencing fashion trends in popular culture. Hylton is a global creative partner for MCM and was the centerpiece of the 2019 documentary The Remix: Hip Hop x Fashion.
The eight-ball or 8-ball jacket is a style of leather jacket created by San Francisco–based designer Michael Hoban in 1990. The style is characterized by bright color-blocking and large black and white decals on the back and sleeves, made to look like the eight ball used in some cue sports. The distinctive design became trendy in 1990s fashion after being worn by athletes and hip-hop stars. The many symbolic associations of the eight ball, combined with the jacket's high retail price and celebrity associations quickly made it a status symbol for young people in the city's East Coast hip hop scene. Its popularity among youth led to robberies, some of which resulted in fatalities. Hoban's colorful designs were often counterfeited; he successfully sued a number of leather shops making knockoffs of his work. Eventually, he created a licensed diffusion line that sold lower-end versions of his jackets.