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Hip Hop Fashion... |
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History Continued... |
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As the hip hop culture began to be recognized by an international community, hip hop fashion became a world-wide trend.. Karl Williams, is viewed as one of the founding father of urban fashion. He began in the Brooklyn projects, selling t-shirts, and baggy linen suits that were made by his father's tailor, to try and make small cash.In 1989, he opened a clothing store in New York named Simons, while working as a design partner for Cross Colors Clothing Company. In 1994, Karl began designing jeans independently, and labeled them with his own name (Karl) and the word Kani, which represents the words "Can I?" signifying the particular question he would ask himself everyday regarding his ability to achieve success in the fashion industry. Karl Williams grew up in Brooklyn New York, and felt that there was a void in the fashion market for urban youths. Karl Kani is now a popular brand name associated with urban fashion, and has reached over $1 billion in sales in the past 14 years.. Currently, Karl Kani is working with grammy- nominated hip hop artist Baby, to create a new line of urban street wear called Life. This collaboration proves the important influence fashion has on hip hop, and vice versa. Karl Williams has paved the way for other hopeful urban fashion designers and labels, such as Russell Simmons, co-founder of Def Jam Records, who founded Phat Farm clothing in 1992 (Karl Kani, 2003). |
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Karl Kani's new clothing line |
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Russell Simmons and his wife |
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Karl Kani "The Originator" (right) |
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Virtual Communities |
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Howard Rheingold defines virtual communities as "social aggregations that emerge from the Net when enough people carry on those public discussions long enough, with sufficient human feeling, to form a web of personal relationships in cyberspace" (Vitanza, 1999). Hip Hop fashion consists of much more than simply clothing. As stated earlier, hip hop fashion is one single element of the entire hip hop culture. Therefore, virtual communities that exist relating to hip hop fashion, tend to also include virtual communities relating to hip hop music, breakdancing, and deejaying. Many virtual communities exist on urban fashion web sites, that allow people to connect with one another, and share their creative interests and ideas, in regard to hip hop fashion. The Urban Fashion Network. provides a forum for "people in urban fashion field to communicate and brainstorm ideas, and learn from each other". Hopeful future fashion designers share information and opinions on the latest fashions and trends, and attempt to form both personal and professional relationships through the use of the Internet.
There are also several "on-line stores" which sell primarily urban fashion wear, and have created on-line communities for consumers to discuss the products being sold, or for use by the general public. What You Get.com has "the Online Community for the Alternative Mall", and has specific communities created for "sexy fashion" and also "funky decor." Virtual communities based on hip hop fashion can be found for all demographics, regardless of age. Websites such as Youth Hip Hop include all aspects of hip hop culture, and have on-line communities based on fashion, music, poetry, dance, and graffiti. The virtual communities based on hip hop fashion unite a group of people who share the common interests and values of the hip hop culture. The online communities create a forum for individuals to interact, communicate, and learn from each other, while sharing views on hip hop music, fashion, and lifestyle. Virtual communities on hip hop fashion can be found on several websites dedicated to the hip hop culture, and fit the Rheingold's definition adequately. |
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Interactivity and Hip Hop Fashion |
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The fashion industry is a highly consumer based business which relies heavily on customer involvement and participation. Fashion designers must be able to interact directly with the public in order to produce successful products, and must be able to communicate effectively with their peers to ensure that they are delivering products to the community that are highly valued. Creativity is an invaluable asset to any fashion designer, and having the latest, most creative and innovative trend, is essential for success and high profits. The Internet has created ample oppurtunities for urban fashion designers to interact with their hip hop culture web-based community. Websites such as Dr. Jays are online stores that supply different kinds of name brand urban fashion , at one site. Customers have access to every popular hip hop fashion designer, and can shop at their own leisure, while adding items to their virtual shopping cart. On other interactive sites such as the Youth Hip Hop page artists have the opportunity to upload sketches of their own hip hop fashion, and display them on the website for an international community. On the same site, there is a "Hip Hop Auction" where items such as CD's, and clothing are auctioned off to the highest bidder.
Many official sites of urban fashion designers do not sell their own products on line, but are interactive through other methods. The popular urban label Enyce , has a 'lounge' section which includes video clips of recent events endorsing the clothing line. In the 'downloads' section, the background music beets that are being played on the site can be downloaded in mp3 format onto ones computer. In the 'collections' section, one can select specific articles of clothing, and view the Enyce clothing line, in an online fashion show. |
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Click here for more... |
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