Legendary fashion designer, Dapper Dan

Episode notes

(Photo: Mark Sagliocco / Getty Images for Manhattan Magazine )

These days, the look is everywhere, but the next time you see someone in a designer logo, head-to-toe: know that Dapper Dan brought you that.

When Louis Vuitton and Gucci were still scared of hip-hop, Dapper Dan bought garment bags at boutiques, sliced them up and made them into snorkel coats. He printed up Vuitton canvas and made bucket hats and trousers. Anyone who was anyone on the streets of Harlem knew Dapper Dan’s was the place for the most outrageous, extravagant styles.

If you can picture LL Cool J or Rakim in 1987, you’re probably picturing something Dapper Dan made.

Back in the day, the labels shut him down. Now, they bring him to their office and ask him to collaborate. Dapper Dan’s worked with brands like Gucci, GAP, and most recently Puma.

Dapper Dan joins us on the latest episode of Bullseye. He gets into his time as a street hustler and when he first started making his own clothes. Plus, what it was like when he finally became part of the fashion world after years of being sued and raided by giants in the fashion industry.