Adidas Basket Profi wedge sneakers, suede, manmade materials, and cotton, 2015, Germany, gift of Jill Hemingway (2015)The Museum at FIT
Women’s style in hip hop tends to be overlooked,
and early b-girls, aerosol artists, DJs, and MCs often sported androgynous looks that adapted male style in order to be taken seriously. Over the decades, women in hip hop developed their own looks that incorporated more overtly feminine styles.
Today, sports brands like Adidas create designs especially for female-presenting customers like these wedged sneakers.
L'Il Kim (1999-09-09) by Dave AlloccaLIFE Photo Collection
Lil’ Kim has been known for her adventurous, designer-driven style since the mid-1990s. Working with stylist Misa Hylton, Kim pioneered a sexy, feminine style and acted as an ambassador between hip hop and high fashion brands like Roberto Cavalli, Versace, and Marc Jacobs.
She wore a version of this 18th-century-inspired denim mini skirt ensemble to the Spike Video Game Awards in 2003.
Polo by Ralph Lauren, cotton shirt, 1990s, USA, gift of Ralph Lauren CorporationThe Museum at FIT
Lauryn Hill wore a casual ensemble—Polo jersey and jeans, accessorized with hoops and bangles—for a 1997 Fugees concert in Haiti. Here she exemplifies the ways that hip hop artists adapted their everyday style for stage costume.
Hill and her Haitian-born bandmates Wyclef Jean and Pras Michel performed to raise aid money for the country. She opted for a simple, hip hop-inflected look to connect with fans.
Reebok “54-11” Freestyle sneakers, leather, rubber, and Velcro, 2019, England, gift of Gabriela Durham Reebok “54-11” Freestyle sneakers, leather, rubber, and Velcro, 2019, England, gift of Gabriela Durham (2019)The Museum at FIT
Much of hip hop style is about representing localities —
different cities, boroughs, and neighborhoods create distinctive trends. For hip hop women and girls in New York City, the Reebok Freestyle, released in 1982, was the first dance sneaker that catered to their style in an assortment of bright colors.
The shoe’s nickname refers to its original cost, plus New York sales tax: $54.11.
Fresh, Fly, and Fabulous: Fifty Years of Hip Hop Style was on view at The Museum at FIT February - April 2023. It was curated by Elena Romero, assistant professor, Advertising and Marketing Communications, FIT, and Elizabeth Way, associate curator of costume, MFIT.
