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Yo! An Incomplete History of Fashion Name-Dropping in Rap



Say it with us: "What's that jacket, Margiela?" (Getty)

Rap lyrics that sound like they’re rattling off the Fashion Month schedule are pretty much par for the course. And this is nothing new–the trend can be traced all the way back to the beginnings of the genre. Lately, though, the caliber of the designers mentioned–and the frequency with which they’re mentioned–seems to be at an all-time high.

Names that were scarcely known outside of the fashion circles, like Raf Simons, Martin Margiela, and Ann Demeulemeester, are now dropped in songs that top the national charts. Late last month, a song called “Fashion Killa” from A$AP Rocky’s upcoming album leaked, and it calls out a whopping 27 designers, most of which are lesser known or avant-garde. Many of the brands listed in the song are strictly womenswear labels, which rappers have had a growing obsession with over the past couple of years. (Who could forget when Kanye West wore that Céline top to perform at Coachella in 2011?)

Mahbod Moghadam, co-founder of the website Rap Genius, gave us a quick analysis of the most popular labels mentioned in the lyrics on his site. Gucci tops the list, followed closely by Prada, Versace, and Louis Vuitton. These famed brands have been featured in hip-hop songs for decades, but we love how some of our favorite “insidery” names in high fashion (hello, Damir Doma!) are beginning to get thrown into the mix.

Though we’ve scratched the surface before, we decided to take a more thorough look back at some of rap’s most well known fashion name-drops over the years, from the requisite Versace shout-outs of the past, to the more recent inclusion of greats like Alexander McQueen and Isabel Marant. Read on to see the evolution–we bet that we’ll have you singing along by the end.



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