Screening on Thu 19 October, exclusively at The Lexi - Fresh Dressed is screening as part of our Bigger Than Hip Hop documentary season. The next screening will be Our Vinyl Weighs a Ton: The Story of Stones Throw Records.
Join us to explore the history of clothing and the unwavering impact of Hip Hop on fashion, following it from the streets to the runway. Hip Hop and its relationship to fashion became such a force on the market that Tommy Hilfiger would drive through the streets and hand out free clothing to kids on the corner. Starting in the seventies and evolving to the early 2000’s, a totally original look was born that was instrumental to the genre.
So… from digging out your Polo, wearing your favourite tracksuit or your best sneakers, we encourage you to come to this screening fresh dressed! Be prepared for a heavy dose of nostalgia as we dive in - below we’ll look at three of the key accessories that will ensure you’re looking fresh.
Cazal’s
Once the likes of LL Cool J and Run DMC were seen rocking a pair of Cazal glasses, sales soared as fans wanted a piece of the action too. During this period many of the legendary Cazal silhouettes were born and vintage pairs worn by the likes of MC Hammer and Spike Lee have now been known to fetch a hefty price online.
Kangol hat
K for silk, ANG for angora and OL for the wool – if you were funky fresh in the eighties, then no outfit was complete without that infamous Kangol hat, with that slight tilt to the side. When you think of the Kangol hat, you have to think of LL Cool J; from wearing one on his album cover for ‘Radio’, it became LL’s staple to wear tracksuits with matching Kangol hats, that not only became his signature style but also pivoted him to the forefront of Hip Hop fashion.
Sneakers
It could be argued that sneakers have made the biggest impact on Hip Hop’s history. This history connects back to the early 70’s when B-boys and B-girls in the Bronx started wearing styles seen on their favourite basketball players – with the Adidas Superstar notably worn by NBA player Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. To follow, Run DMC’s hit song ‘My Adidas’ was written to express the love of their sneakers.
Harbs Djuma
It’s Bigger Than Hip Hop series curator
