by Nadirah Simmons
Black women are always setting trends, from hair to makeup to clothing. Thus, it’s no surprise that Black women rappers, in all of their visibility and straight up coolness are the ones at the forefront of what’s in and of course, what’s not. And when you learn that celebrity fashion lines date all the way back to the 1800s, it makes sense that Black women who rap would follow in the tradition and become the faces of their own.
Vogue says that a big turning point for celebrity fashion lines came in the 2000s, “when the explosion of celebrity really took over. With the rise of Internet blogs came an insatiable appetite for daily content around our favorite stars—meaning more appearances, more red carpets, and more launches for them. As a result, you weren’t a big star unless you launched a fashion line.”
It’s true. Some of the biggest names in music helmed their own clothing lines at the turn of the century. There was Beyoncé’s House of Deréon, a line introduced by the singer and her mother/stylist Tina Lawson, inspired by their family lineage. There was also of course, JAY-Z and Damon Dash’s wildly popular Rocawear brand, which had annual sales of over $700 million.
And in recent years we’ve seen some of the biggest Black women in rap dive directly into the world of fashion. From Cardi B’s wildly successful Reebok® x Cardi B Collection, to Megan Thee Stallion partnering with Fashion Nova for a clothing line and swimwear release and stunning as the face of Coach's recently announced BAPE Collection, to the City Girls linking up with Boohoo for a line of items, to the Saweetie x PrettyLittleThing collection that promised everything from “sexy street-style to show-stopping, figure-worshiping dresses that will take your IG to the next level,” the lines are plenty. It’s worth noting that the advent of “fast fashion” has allowed for the rapid and quick production of clothing in a way that was not seen in the early 2000s. To put it quite simply, fashion has changed a lot. Nonetheless, it does not diminish the impact, talent, and overall style Black women who rap bring to fashion. The demand is there and arguably, has always been.
Check out the five fashion lines from Black women rappers that you might have forgotten.
(Photos by Mychal Watts/WireImage)
Fetish by Eve
In the fall of 2003, a little over a year after her GRAMMY win with Gwen Stefani for “Best Rap/Sung Collaboration” and in the midst of the first season of her eponymous UPN sitcom, Eve launched her clothing company Fetish. The line was sold in department store and included jeans, jackets, t-shirts, shorts, and handbags. The line shut down in 2009.
(Photo by KidduNot.com)
24/7 Star by Lil’ Kim
In 2011 Lil’ Kim debuted her clothing line 24/7 Star: The Goddess Collection at North Carolina’s Charlotte Fashion Week. She told NBC New York’s Niteside: “My inspiration is definitely all of my designer friends like Marc Jacobs and Donatello Versace. Those are my friends. I watched them prepare for shows, and I see [what] they [went] through.”
Queen Collection by Queen Latifah for HSN
Rapper, actress, producer, singer, and songwriter-there’s literally nothing Queen Latifah can’t do. In August of 2011, she entered the fashion world with the launch of her Queen Collection exclusively for HSN, which featured everything from clothing and accessories to handbags and hair extensions.
Respect M.E. by Adidas Originals x Missy Elliott
Launched in 2005, Missy Elliott’s Respect M.E. line in collaboration with Adidas Originals boasted a long list of items, including sneakers, t-shirts, track jackets and pants, sweatshirts, leather jackets, boots, and accessories. It made perfect sense, as Elliott had been rocking Adidas for years before the launch of the line. When asked about Respect M.E. by WWD, Elliott said: “I feel really honored and excited to be doing this. I have been a fan of Adidas since Run-DMC.”
Pink Diamond Couture by Trina
In 2008 Trina launched Pink Diamond Couture, a clothing line that included jeans with textures like leather, python, and crystals, embellished t-shirts, and two fragrances: Diamond Doll and Diamond Princess. On the line she said: “I have always imagined a clothing line that was high quality that I could offer to my fans. I spent a lot of time creating handpicked details that are fresh, unique and one of a kind. The best part they look really expensive but are reasonable priced.”