‘It’s passed just being music, it’s something that people grow with’, Jay Z
“It’s passed just being music; it’s something that people grow with”
JAY-Z
How can one man who grew up in the mean streets of Brooklyn become one of the most influential figures of the 21st century? How can one man become one of the wealthiest people in the world in just a few years? His name has become synonymous with Hip-Hop, and his artistic ability is only matched by his business accruement. From drug dealer to entrepreneur, Jay-Z has become one of the leading founders of the Hip-Hop movement, working alongside artists such as Biggie Smalls, Snoop Dogg, Eminem, Kanye West, Timbaland and Nas.
From starting out by selling albums from the boot of his car, Jay-Z has become one of the biggest selling rappers of all time, with sales of over 26 million albums worldwide. In 1995, alongside co-founder Damon Dash, he released his own urban clothing line under the name Rocawear, offering stylish and sophisticated products ranging from clothes and accessories for men, women and children, to eyewear, watches, headgear, footwear, belts, handbags and jewellery.
In a 2008 interview, when asked as to how the conception of Rockawear came about, Jay-Z responded: “It’s really an extension of being creative, right? It’s part of the whole culture, right? When you see a Mary J. Blige, you don’t just see the music. You see the music, the fashion, the growth, the evolution - everything is part of it”
Jay-Z realized that his ability to create culture extended far beyond the realm of music, and began to see the importance of fashion within the music industry. During his performances, he noticed that fans in the audience were wearing the same clothes as he was.
“I was wearing this brand called Iceberg, and I would go to the shows. When I went to the show, the whole crowd had on Iceberg. The entire crowd was wearing Iceberg. So I went to Iceberg and said, “Guys, you guys should really partner with me some stuff, because I think I’m starting a little movement out there with the clothing.”
Rather than make money for other companies, Jay-Z decided that it would be more lucrative to create his own clothing line. Rocawear initially started out with just three sewing machines; however after some help and advice from Def Jam’s Russell Simmons, who had also started his own clothing line under the name Phat Farm, Rocawear quickly grew into one of the largest fashion labels in the world, with annual sales of over $700 Million dollars worldwide.
In 2007 Jay-Z sold his rights to the Rocawear label for $204 million, however has stated that he will retain his stake in the company and will continue to oversee the marketing, licensing and product development. In the same year R&B superstar Ciara signed to be the new face of Rocawear, stating publicly that she thinks that “The clothes are so cute”.
Originally starting out as a men’s clothing brand, Rocawear has become one of the largest urban labels in the world and is worn by millions of people across the planet. Rocawear has become the brand of choice for many people from all walks of life, combining intricate patterns with quality fabrics and original designs, with rigorous attention to detail. They offer unique styles and exclusive urban designs for men, women and children, with products ranging from T-shirts, Jackets, Jeans and Shirts to Dresses, to Lingerie, Jewellery and Accessories; they even offer baby clothes, perfumes and colognes. A number of celebrities have also been spotted wearing Rocawear including Naomi Campbell, Chris Brown, Victoria Beckham, Cassie, Rihanna, Ciara and many more.
If you would like to see some of the latest Rocawear styles then just click on the link.