? adidas
Fear of God
Jerry Lorenzo founded Fear of God in 2012 with little more than a belief in himself and his vision. Before releasing his inaugural collection, Lorenzo was able to supply Big Sean with some clothes, which led to Kanye’s interest in Lorezo, resulting in creating tour merch, Yeezy, and other creative projects. By 2015, as Fear of God was ascending, Lorenzo partnered with PacSun to create an affordable diffusion line, F.O.G. Like Lorenzo’s aesthetic of mixing high and low, Fear of God and F.O.G. represented a savvy business move in the world of luxury and retail. F.O.G. would be disbanded in 2018 and replaced by the widely successful Essentials line. In 2018, Lorenzo would work with Nike to release a brand new silhouette, the Air Fear of God 1, and dig into the archives by reworking the Air Skylon 2. In late 2020, Lorenzo’s biggest news to date occurred when a long-term partnership between adidas and Fear of God was announced. The partnership established that Lorenzo would be driving the global creative and business strategy for adidas basketball.
? Jonathan Leibson/Getty Images
Yeezy
Yeezy is a clothing brand founded by… Yeezy. Like many other fashion brands that have started in the last decade, Kanye West’s brand lives somewhere between streetwear and high fashion. However, Kanye’s work still stands out and makes its voice heard. Some of Yeezy’s most notable work is the sneakers they have created in partnership with adidas, including the Yeezy Foam RNNR and the Yeezy 350 Boost, arguably the most iconic sneaker silhouette of the 2010s. We can also thank Kanye for his Yeezy Calabasas line, which featured a selection of casualwear and the ever-classic Powerphases. Like his musical career and more recent endeavors in schooling, architecture, and other areas, Ye doesn’t show any signs of slowing down when it comes to fashion design.
Dapper Dan
Dapper Dan is considered a fashion pioneer for making luxury goods more accessible to Black Americans. During his peak in the 1980s, brands such as Louis Vuitton and Gucci showed little to no multi-racial representation. Dapper Dan, whose real name is Daniel Day, started with fabric with prints featuring high-end brand logos, such as MCM and Gucci, and would create custom pieces for those in the big-name hip-hop stars at the time, such as LL Cool J, The Fat Boys, and Flavor Flav. Despite litigation from these major fashion labels shutting his operation down in the 90s, today, Gucci has recognized the accomplishments and cultural impact Dapper Dan has had in fashion and now collaborates with the designer on collections and pieces. Dapper Dan’s trailblazing efforts helped bring luxury brands to a more mainstream audience and significantly impacted hip-hop’s continuous love for groundbreaking fashion and style.
? Ivy Park
Ivy Park
Ivy Park launched in April 2016 with Topshop, co-founded by Beyonce and Sir Phillip Green. The line did well in stores and online with the London retailer. In 2018, following allegations of sexual harassment and racial abuse against Green, Beyonce bought out Green becoming the sole owner / operator of her brand. Queen Bey followed this up by announcing her partnership with adidas, scaling Ivy Park globally. Following two successful collections with adidas, Ivy Park announced an impending “Drop 3” in January 2021.
Telfar
Founded by Liberian-American designer Telfar Clemens, Telfar has lead the way for genderless fashion collections since its inception in 2005. They have created a new, all-inclusive American iconography using classic typography, logos, and branding as inspiration in their quest to leave their mark in the fashion industry. Among the many pieces Telfar has released, their Shopper Tote Bag was the first product to gain a cult following on its own. Its inclusive price point and vegan leather construction offered a new look to luxury, becoming the “it” bag of 2020. The success of the “Bushwick Birkin” helped push the brand from being a niche New York label to becoming a worldwide phenomenon.
Off-White
The reigning king of fashion, Virgil Abloh, got his start interning at Fendi alongside Kanye West. Following a stint as creative director Donda, Kanye’s creative agency, Abloh launched Pyrex Vision in 2012. The next year, Off-White was founded, and Abloh would begin his cultural takeover in earnest. In 2017, Abloh released his iconic collaboration with Nike, called “The Ten,” reworking classic Nike silhouettes. Abloh’s biggest news would come in 2018 when he was named artistic director for Louis Vuitton’s menswear division. With Abloh taking the reins at LV, the classed and raced divide between streetwear and luxury was cracked. Off-White and Abloh continue to push culture and fashion with collaborations with IKEA, a furniture line, museum exhibitions, and new collections from Off-White proper.
? Reebok
Pyer Moss
Kerby Jean-Raymond launched his avant-garde label Pyer Moss in 2013 and has continued to prove why he is a leading innovator in fashion since then. Kerby’s originality shines through his label’s work as he puts a futuristic lens on streetwear staples and garments seen less frequently in the space. More recently, Kerby has been making headlines for his new role as VP of Creative Direction at Reebok (with whom Pyer Moss has been a longtime collaborator). And most excitingly, the Vice President of the United States, Kamala Harris, wore a piece by Pyer Moss the night before the presidential inauguration.
Saint Ivory NYC
In a heavily male-dominated field, finding mainstream appeal for a female-focused streetwear label is challenging. Despite these challenges, founder Madrell Stinney, saw it necessary to create Saint Ivory NYC in 2019, one of the few female-focused brands in existence. With every drop being frame as a “Semester,” the pieces within each release showcase female figures such as architect Zaha Hadid, designer Lilly Reich, and painter Kara Walker. Although the brand is only two years old, it is already stocked in today’s most popular boutiques, championing women’s history to a larger audience.
Infinite Archives
Infinite Archives began in 2015 by Easy Otabor, and, true to the brand’s name, Infinite Archives is always looking to the past and highlighting the best styles and moments in history. In June 2020, Infinite Archives partnered with Hiroshi Fujiwara to release a special edition End Racism t-shirt where proceeds were donated to support Chicago communities. In the fall, Infinite Archives followed up by releasing a second t-shirt in collaboration with Tom Sachs, whose profits supported communities in need. Easy and Infinite Archives have created the gold standard for how a brand should stay true to its ethos and have a powerful voice pushing for a just and equitable society.
Brandon Blackwood
The handbag industry, like many facets of fashion, is lacking in diversity. For years, luxury houses like Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and others have taken over the accessories game, making it difficult for start-ups to impact the field, especially brands founded by people of color. However, Brandon Blackwood, a brand that started in 2015, has gained worldwide recognition in only six years. Born and raised in Brooklyn, NY, and of Jamaican and Chinese descent, Brandon Blackwood went viral after his bag “End Systemic Racism” was worn by Kim Kardashian-West. From Vogue to Business Of Fashion, Blackwood has acquired recognition worthy of his brand and talents, paving the way for more start-ups by black creatives in high fashion.
