Tottenham bred Grime emcee Skepta has been placed 7th in GQ’s 50 best dressed men of 2015.
The list, topped by Eddie Redmayne (star of upcoming film The Danish Girl), included the usual suspects such as Idris Elba and Robert Pattinson.
It may come as a surprise to many people that a tracksuit wearing grime artist is on the list at all. Traditionally it’s the smartest and most luxuriously dressed men that are placed on the prestigious GQ list, so why is someone wearing sportswear amongst them?
Skepta has always maintained a keen interest in the fashion industry since the beginning of his career; jungle raves the venue for his first exposure to brands such as Versace and Moschino. An interest was very quickly developing into a passion. The Grime emcees personal fashion has evolved over the years. Skepta was formally a self confessed Ed Hardy buff; in fact, he loved the designer so much he wrote a song about it which he performed alongside Tinchy Stryder.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RkIQoI1_2Rc
Whilst Skeptas first exposure to fashion was through expensive, lavish brands, this was not to be persevered. He’s had a lot to say on the top of luxurious brands, and on That’s Not Me, spoke of throwing away all of his Gucci and Louis Vuitton.
He spoke of this distaste further to Dazed and Confused, commenting on those who wear Gucci on the street and designer Nasir Mazhar.
“I stopped wearing all that a little while ago. I just think that nowadays in the streets, loads of people are robbing each other and killing each other to keep up with rappers and everybody that’s got money. They think that buying Gucci and Louis and standing on their council estate with like £2 in their pocket and a £300 Gucci bag means that they are on a level. But when you look at the Gucci and Louis campaigns, they never pull no street guys, when it’s probably street guys and lap dancers that buy the most Louis and Gucci anyway! They’re keeping Gucci going, but they just ignore our culture and act like we don’t exist, so I threw that out there to say fuck them. You’ve got people like Nasir and loads of street brands who get people from the culture involved, so we should be showing these guys more love than the people who don’t want to be associated with us.”
Since then Skep’s choice in apparel has meandered completely toward street and skate culture. Brands such as Supreme and Palace have been sported regularly; Supreme even had Skepta perform at the after party for the London Premiere of Cherry, a full length skate film released in 2014.
Furthermore, Skepta was given the role of fashion director for Wiley’s On a Level video; kitting the clique out in Nasir Mazhaar, Billionaire Boys Club and Nike.
Nasir Mazhaar is a designer that has had a major influence, not only on Skeptas appearance, but on streetwear culture as a whole. Inspired by London’s streetwear roots he has implemented the very core of the culture into his work.
For those still confused as to why Skepta has been placed on the GQ list, take a look at the overall concept of what he has achieved. Astrid Andersen, a designer who “creates premium casualwear with a sport inspired aesthetic” explains beautifully why she feels Skepta has been placed so high:
“Skepta has convinced everyone he is a very important figure in UK culture and now he continues to push, educate and grow with this generation. Best-dressed should not just be about being able to buy the most expensive suit but about influencing a culture and for understanding how to bring a strong personal sense of view across.”
The comments were met with warm appreciation from Skepta, who took to Instagram to express his thanks to Andersen.
Skepta hasn’t just thrown on a tux and Bonded his way up the list. He’s influenced an entire generation. Streetwear has been brought to the forefront of the fashion industry.
Wearing brands such as Adidas, Palace and Supreme provide a sense of belonging, born out of rebellion, to those who wear them. Online streetwear groups such as The Basement or Supreme Talk create doors into completely apparel driven communities. The Tottenham bred artist has had a massive year, not only in music but in fashion too. He continues to break barriers within the creative industries and I for one cannot wait to see what new developments 2016 will bring to the table.
View Skepta walking at Nazir Mazhar’s SS15 London Mens Collection below.
Words: Andrew Moore – @andrewmooree
