Since the confirmation of the official collaboration between Harlem’s own Dapper Dan and Gucci Creative Director Alessandro Michele we’ve been anticipating his release and now it’s finally here! The collection has been unveiled just in time for Dapper Dan’s new Gucci atelier space opening on Wooster Street in none other than New York City’s SoHo neighborhood. The collection will be available exclusively there until a larger roll-out happens in the Fall/Winter of this year. Gucci opened its first ever presence in SoHo, New York at 63 Wooster Street last Sunday, May 6.
The Dapper Dan collection is designed and derived from the archive collection of Dan’s early known garments that have since been re-imagined for the new collaboration. Dan’s archived pieces reemerged in Gucci’s Resort 2018 collection which brought out new attention to his legendary designs when the luxury brand was placed on blast for very similar pieces. Though Dapper Dan’s interview with the New York Times seem to cool down the outrage "The part about appropriation, Alessandro and I are part of two parallel universes," he said. "The magic that took place as a result of what he did was bringing these two parallel universes together." He added, "The public was more up in arms than me,” and the rest can be said, to be history since now Dapper Dan’s dreams of having a legitimate atelier has come to fruition with a collaboration of a lifetime.
he new collection has delicious tailor-made tracksuits, dazzlingly sequin bomber jackets, shimmering A-Line pleated skirts and audacious logos providing a real reminiscent vibe of Dapper Dan’s early ‘80s and ‘90s luxe streetwear pieces. Akin to his new tailoring shop, this collaboration will reflect Dan’s creativity and fantastical skill to design the heartbeat of streetwear in Harlem. There will be more collaborations to come and per a recent Gucci press release…
"This next phase of the collaboration with the Harlem tailor, who built a cult following in New York in the 1980s and early 1990s, takes its cue from his archive and re-imagines the types of garments and accessories for which he is known for in Gucci’s luxury materials."
Dapper Dan’s exquisite talent for tailoring and capturing the essence of his culture will be transcendent, swipe through some of the of new collection below.
