How A$AP Rocky became a fashion icon: Rihanna’s baby daddy flaunts Gucci G braids, became the face of Dior Homme, made Yuppie-core cool – and was just named creative director for a Puma partnership
The “Fashion Killa” singer has long since established himself as a style icon with an impeccable fashion sense and budding relationships with brands like Gucci, Bottega Veneta and Balenciaga.
From wearing a designer quilt to the Met Gala to a head full of pearls at the Rolling Loud Festival in Miami, the hip-hop star is always experimental and expressive.
We look at what makes him a modern-day fashion icon.
The A$AP Rocky braids
A big part of Rocky’s looks are his distinctive hairstyles (the rapper even had the Gucci G braided into his hair once) but his signature braids hold a sentimental meaning too.
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Born Rakim Athelaston Mayers, the rapper from Harlem had a tough childhood with a father in jail, hopping between homeless shelters and selling drugs to make ends meet, before he joined the A$AP Mob collective and made it big as a rapper, per Village Voice.
When Rocky was 13, his older brother Ricky Mayers was shot and killed in Harlem – a mere stone’s throw from where Rocky was born. Rocky’s iconic braids were once worn by his brother, the same publication wrote.
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Rocky and Barbadian singer Rihanna’s relationship began in 2020, per Elle, and they now share two sons, RZA and Riot Rose.
Already iconic for their date night outfits, the duo are introducing RZA and Riot to the world of fashion at an early age by dressing the boys in labels like Dior.
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His obsession with designer Raf Simons
Rocky’s new position at Puma isn’t his first time designing for a brand. The fashion fanatic rapper has previously collaborated with designers like Raf Simons, co-creative director at Prada, and Jonathan Anderson, creative director at Loewe.
He has name-dropped almost every major fashion designer to know in his song “Fashion Killa”, but his obsession with Belgian designer Simons prompted a whole music video titled “Raf”.
When the designer was selected as one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People of 2017, Rocky wrote a tribute for him stating “he built a whole new religion around fashion”, per Hypebeast.
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The face of Yuppie-core
Rocky’s personal style is eclectic and often experimental. He doesn’t shy away from traditionally feminine pieces like skirts, pearl necklaces or headscarves.
His extensive collection of purses
On a date night out with Rihanna to celebrate his 35th birthday earlier this month, A$AP flaunted a Bottega Veneta ‘fit – a staple brand in his wardrobe – a head full of pearls, and the brand’s distinctive Andiamo handbag.
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The bubblegum pink bag is another addition to the singer’s collection of impressive and expensive purses, per Vogue.
The rapper is a fan of Goyard too, with a collection of totes and handbags from the brand. Some of his other iconic bags are the Gucci Mickey Mouse cross-body, the Loewe bucket mesh bag and his black Hermès Kelly.
- Rapper A$AP Rocky, who has charted both hip-hop singles and albums, and relationships with fashion houses like Gucci, Dior and Bottega Veneta, is now Puma’s creative director for its F1 partnership
- He rocks Yuppie-core – a relaxed suit and tie, accompanied by perhaps a flashy Rolex – and boasts an enviable handbag collection, from Goyard totes to a black Hermès Kelly