In honor of Black History Month and the upcoming 2026 New York Fashion Week, let’s review some of the Black community’s most defining fashion trends and pioneers.
1. Jordans
Nike was established in 1964 by Phil Knight and his track coach, Bill Bowerman. Throughout its expansion to the reigning sneaker giant that it is today, Nike focused on centering their athletes and creating sneakers that elevated comfort and skill. However, in the 80s, Nike’s throne was threatened by Converse and Adidas, who were making sneakers that were not only comfortable but also fashionable. Converse and Adidas also surged in popularity due to their proximity and collaboration with the biggest celebrities at the time. This new competition prompted Nike to collaborate with a breakout star of their own and birth the Air Jordan 1 with Michael Jordan. This sneaker design set the tone for fashion sneakers and made Nike untouchable. The popularity of the sneaker made its impact in Hip-hop and every Black person flocked to the stores to get their hands on a pair. The popularity of the Air Jordan 1 also gave way to the foundation of sneaker culture. As more colorways were released, “sneaker heads” rushed to the store to build their collection of Jordans. Michael Jordan, along with Nike, and the Black community who bought every pair of Jordans they possible could transformed the way shoe companies make sneakers and the breakthrough of sneakers into high fashion.
2. Willi Smith: The founder of Streetwear
If you’re a fashion lover with a specific preference for streetwear, you should be thankful for this designer. Willi Smith was an 80s fashion designer from Philadelphia and a graduate of Parsons School of Design. He was named the “founder of streetwear” within his 20-year career due to his ability to bring streetwear to the high fashion runways. Smith’s goal as a designer was to make affordable fashion, combine it with his other interests in film and art and use it as a tool to bring awareness to the racial confines the fashion industry placed streetwear in. Before Smith, streetwear, which included baggy clothing and sneakers and were primarily worn by Black people, was considered “ghetto” and not welcomed in high fashion spaces. Smith broke through those barriers and made a place for streetwear to thrive and be seen for its artistic capacity. Fun fact: Willi Smith also designed the wedding dress for Mary Jane in the comic issue where she marries Peter Parker and made a cameo in the issue.
3. Dapper Dan and Logomania
You know how you would look at old pictures of your parents, aunts, uncles, and cousins from the 80s and 90s and they would have on Gucci, Louis Vuitton, or Fendi clothes with the logos all over them? Yeah, that was a Dapper Dan creation. And the style? Logomania. Dapper Dan’s journey to the fashion icon he is today was a little bit unusual compared to traditional designers. Dan started his career by selling stolen designer items in Harlem during the 80s. He decided to expand his business when he noticed the crowd that designers items with obvious logos on them attracted. So, he rebranded and started selling custom-made replicas of those designer pieces. Dan’s “designs” were so successful and spread throughout the U.S., where many Black people and celebrities sported the designer logo-covered items. However, Dapper Dan had to shut down his business when Fendi sued him for stealing and selling their designs in 1992. But, that didn’t stop him and he continued creating. In 2017, Gucci presented a logo-covered bomber jacket that bared a striking resemblance to Dan’s design. The Black community, who revered Dan’s designs, quickly rallied around Dan and called out the fashion house, resulting in Gucci hiring Dapper Dan and funding a new store for his business. Even though Dapper Dan’s artistic vision landed him in some legal trouble, it also made him a legend in both the Black community and luxury fashion. The invention of one Black man from Harlem served as inspiration for historic fashion houses that were established long before him and made luxury fashion accessible and stylish for Black people. A true Black fashion icon.
Unfortunately, Black Americans and their contributions to fashion have been forgotten in fashion history. Even with the rise of streetwear, hoop earrings, sneaker culture, and durags in mainstream fashion, Black people are rarely involved in the discussion of where these trends came from. It takes calling out brands, fashion houses, and influencers on social media for Black people receive their flowers for transforming fashion and driving innovation forward. Nonetheless, lack of recognition hasn’t stopped Black people from creating and striving to make their mark in the fashion industry.