The one thing New York has always been known for is their constant evolution of Fashion and Entertainment. Dating back years, many trends were birthed in the city to spread across the world in a rapid wave. Most notably for the push of innovation is a Harlem native by the name of Dapper Dan. Birth name Daniel Day, the notarized Harlem tailor was known for re-structuring glamour Parisian, French, & Italian fashions into one-of-a-kind inventions for the Hustlers of the 212 area.
Kings of Style, a storytelling rendition of icons in the Industry, highlight the two Harlem geniuses and their contributions of continually pushing the culture forward. The five minute video chronicles the timeline of becoming Dapper Dan and the inspiration behind his method of madness. Starting out selling furs from the best boosters in the City, a lightbulb flickered when he went to collect from a sale and saw a man carrying a logo emblazoned clutch, and the rest was literally history. Creating a decade long legacy, Dapper Dan began duplicating those same crazed logos in ways never before seen eventually Federal Agents raiding his studios on behalf go those big box brands and being accused of copying.
Since then, Dan has grown to become a legend beyond means and even being indirectly referenced in one of those same Brands collections that tried to shut him down. He’s now grown prosperously to become an official collaborator with Gucci on a co-branded collection, released a best-selling book, and recently assisted in structuring an initiative to increase the return to the culture and community. To learn more about the culture of both Harlem icons and this initiative go to AT&T’s CodesofCulture.com.
