Jordache jeans, cotton denim, c. 1979, USA, museum purchase

Hip hop fashion has always been aspirational. The “hip hop generation” (Gen X) adopted mainstream fashion trends—like designer jeans—and wore them in their own way. Early must-have jean brands were name dropped by Run DMC (“Rock Box,” 1984) and Grandmaster Flash (“Them Jeans,” 1987), among others and included Calvin Klein, Guess, and Jordache.