A particular piece from Gucci's Cruise 2018 collection had the internet buzzing this week: A logo-printed puff-sleeved fur jacket that many thought bore a strong resemblance to a vintage design by old school hip-hop designer Dapper Dan. A side-by-side image of the two jackets made the rounds on social media thanks to eagle-eyed stylist Jordan Page.
[post_ads]Now, Gucci is coming forward to acknowledge the similarities, taking to their Instagram page to confirm that the look was actually inspired by Dapper Dan. The Italian label called the controversial jacket one "that celebrates an iconic style of hip-hop fashion culture from the '80s." Gucci is saying the piece is an "homage" to the designer's iconic work, adding a quick sentence on his legacy to the post. "Legendary tailor Dapper Dan @dapperdanharlem influenced the trend by making such custom pieces for his rapper and athlete clients out of logos from famous fashion houses, including #Gucci," they captioned the image."
In a homage to Dapper Dan, this jacket worn with jeans and a lurex headpiece is flanked with a striped knit with cross-stitch embroidery, cotton shorts and a georgette gown with trompe l’oeil details.""Should have introduced the collection w an homage to Dapper Dan not piggyback on your error," one person commented on the Gucci post. "Great that you finally acknowledge @dapperdanharlem but we all know you guys are just doing damage control at this point. You where called out on the fact your designers copied a classic. Just be real and say you made a mistake." Others called for the Italian design house to compensate Dapper Dan for his inspiration. "Does homage come with a check?" one person wondered.
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Still, some people appreciated the gesture. "Applaud to you guys for finally giving @dapperdanharlem the credit," one commenter said before suggesting that Gucci collaborate with the designer in the future, a sentiment echoed by many in the comments. They may get their wish: The New York Times reported on Wednesday that creative director Alessandro Michele expressed interest "in a collaboration with [Dapper Dan] that would celebrate the influence he had on fashion and hip-hop culture in the 1980s."
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Dapper Dan used the logos from luxury houses to create brilliant pieces for hip-hop artists back in the '80s and '90s. His Harlem shop was shut down due to matters of copyright infringement, but the fact remains that Dapper Dan used those logos to create something very much unlike what was on the runways at the time. The irony that a designer once punished for making use of these logos would inform the work of one of those very luxury houses today should be lost on no one. But mostly, it should come as proof of the highly cyclical nature of fashion.
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Still, some people appreciated the gesture. "Applaud to you guys for finally giving @dapperdanharlem the credit," one commenter said before suggesting that Gucci collaborate with the designer in the future, a sentiment echoed by many in the comments. They may get their wish: The New York Times reported on Wednesday that creative director Alessandro Michele expressed interest "in a collaboration with [Dapper Dan] that would celebrate the influence he had on fashion and hip-hop culture in the 1980s."
More on hip-hop and fashion:
