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  • 2 weeks ago
The name Dapper Dan is one that requires no introduction. The fashion icon, whose artistry completely shifted hip-hop culture in the 1908s and early ‘90s, is finally getting his flowers all these decades later. Most recently, it’s from the Council of Fashion Designers of America (CFDA), where the designer will be awarded at the annual Fashion Awards with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The history-making honor marks the first time that a designer with no prior fashion shows will be a recipient, and it’s something that the legend doesn’t take lightly. ESSENCE sat down with Dapper Dan to hear more about his reaction to the news, took a deep dive into his unconventional journey and even challenged him to a quick game of Guess Who?
Transcript
00:00Now we all know it wouldn't be a Dapper Dan interview
00:03if there were not multiple outfit changes.
00:06So we're going to wait because he's going to give us
00:08a whole nother outfit.
00:09And we're going to play a fun game with him
00:11to find out how well he knows his Dapper Dan originals.
00:15You're back with a new outfit.
00:17A good outfit.
00:18Yeah, I have to, you know, I have to do what I want to do.
00:22You know, you know, I'm sorry, man.
00:25I'm sorry, folks, man.
00:27You know, we just, we just, we get it done like that.
00:31You know, dude, you're from Detroit.
00:32You know how we wear it.
00:33You know what I'm saying?
00:35Sorry, man, I'm hollering.
00:35From head to toe, glasses included.
00:38So speaking of outfits, since we're talking outfits,
00:42are you, can you give us maybe a teaser
00:45of what you're going to wear to the CFD?
00:47Okay, now I'll give you a teaser.
00:50Okay.
00:51What's going to happen and what has happened with my career
00:55is like, I've always been Dapper Dan.
00:58But then it's Dapper Dan meets Gucci.
01:00And Dapper Dan partners with Gucci.
01:02So for this occasion, because going forward,
01:05it'll be Dapper Dan.
01:06Right.
01:06But for this occasion, I want my outfit
01:09to be a part of that moment.
01:13And that moment is Dapper Dan, you know, being elevated.
01:19You know, so I'm going to represent, you know,
01:22the last level that I reached before I went on
01:26into the stratosphere, because I'm in the atmosphere,
01:28but I'm going into the stratosphere now.
01:30Coming out from the underground is Dapper Dan.
01:33Dapper Dan partners with Gucci, right?
01:35So this partnership rises, right?
01:39Now we're at this level, the pinnacle of this level,
01:43where Dapper Dan is going to rise alone by himself, you know?
01:49And so the outfit that I'll be wearing is to announce that
01:56Father I'll be Gucci, Father I'll be Dapper Dan, you know?
01:59It's the farewell to the partnership
02:02and the looking forward to the elevation of Dapper Dan.
02:06And kind of speaking before we get into a fun game.
02:10Reflecting on the many, many, many Dapper Dan moments.
02:16If you had to say your favorite Dapper Dan moment
02:22on someone else, what would it be?
02:26On someone else?
02:27On someone else.
02:30Without a question.
02:32On someone, there's two moments.
02:35One is on someone.
02:36Okay.
02:37Okay.
02:38And the other would be making it for someone.
02:44Okay.
02:44Can I express one?
02:45You absolutely can.
02:46Okay, so let's start with on someone.
02:50Everything I do has to have some powerful significance
02:55and a powerful social message, right?
02:59So let's start with Selma Hyde.
03:03So Selma Hyde comes in and tells me what.
03:08And she wants to get out with me.
03:12And I say, okay.
03:15Wait a minute, isn't this the owner of Gucci's wife?
03:21And I'm saying, oh, I got to do this right.
03:24So as soon as she comes in, she tells her sister, y'all sit down.
03:29Me and Dapper Dan are doing this.
03:32And she announced that she wants Dapper Dan's name on her behind.
03:38So my eyes got big as a pool ball.
03:44I could not believe this, you know, this is, no, this is, no, this can't be done right.
03:50So we went on to discuss the outfit.
03:52She told us her team, go sit down, go sit, not me and Dapper Dan.
03:56And they had to offer with her to raise the Dapper Dan Swarovski rhinestone applique off her butt
04:07where she wanted it to get it to put on her back.
04:11That was such a magical woman because Selma Hyde, when she played Frieda,
04:16and she personified this element of a woman, of a powerful woman.
04:21And I saw every bit of that when she walked into my school and demanded what she wanted to wear.
04:27You know, that was like a golden moment for me.
04:29And she wore that outfit for the after party for the Met Gala, which was amazing.
04:38You know, that was totally amazing, man.
04:40That was inspiration, not only for myself, but for underprivileged kids
04:45in Seruedo, South Africa, and the favelas of Brazil.
04:50That was such a powerful moment for all the underprivileged people in the world.
04:56And Selma Hyde made that possible.
04:59So that was it.
05:00The next great woman, the walker of walkers, was like,
05:08I went to a benefit where they were honoring Solange
05:15as well as they were honoring Marco Bazzari.
05:20And at this benefit, there was nothing but corporate takers,
05:22nothing but corporate entities throughout the place
05:24and their assistants and whatever.
05:27I don't know, the takers was close to 10, 15 days out.
05:29It was a benefit for one of the major fashion schools.
05:36And part of the activities for the night
05:40was a bidding for the opportunity
05:45to get an outfit made of Dapper Danes.
05:49And so when the bidding start, I said, oh, what is this going to look like?
05:57So the bidding started at $1,000.
06:02And I started, the paddles started going up.
06:04You know, the paddles will give you a little bid.
06:06$1,000.
06:08$2,000.
06:11$3,000.
06:14$4,000.
06:17With each $1,000.
06:20A little bit more than $2,000.
06:23$4,000.
06:24$5,000.
06:26$6,000.
06:29$7,000 a year.
06:32I got $8,000 a year.
06:36$9,000 a year.
06:40$10,000 a year.
06:43$11,000.
06:45It's climbing.
06:46Anything in the bag?
06:49$13,000.
06:51And the bidding kept going up and up.
06:53So when it got to about like $18,000
06:55and people started dropping off,
06:56there was just this elegantly dressed Asian lady.
07:00I couldn't see her front at the time.
07:02And Salon business, bidding, right?
07:05And Salon says $18,000.
07:07And the Asian lady said $20,000.
07:11Salon said $21,000.
07:14$22,000.
07:16Everybody's looking at my table now.
07:18And so at that point, I'm saying, oh, God,
07:20I can't let Salon spend that much money like that.
07:22And I'm trying to get attention to her.
07:25You know what I mean?
07:27And so $23,000, $24,000, $25,000, $26,000.
07:34Salon's won the bid at $27,000.
07:37And I goes over to her table.
07:38I said, Salon, I was trying to get this stuff here.
07:40I said, what do you know what I mean?
07:42And she looked at that thing, and I had the pictures up.
07:44She says to me, you deserve it.
07:50That moment there was so energy packed.
07:54I am still running on my battery from that moment.
07:59If I never have another moment, I don't need anything else for me
08:03that happened to have a picture of Salon telling me that in that moment.
08:10I mean, that moment felt like, really felt like I arrived here.
08:14When she said, you deserve it, that was my first award right there.
08:20That speaks to you, though.
08:21Yeah, that was so amazing.
08:23But you do deserve it.
08:25Yeah.
08:25Well, that was so amazing.
08:26I can never forget that moment.
08:29Yeah.
08:29And kind of, you know, while we can talk all day
08:33about the incredible fashions that you have had wardrobe others in,
08:38you are the true star, I think we can all agree.
08:42So what is your favorite outfit on you?
08:45Okay, so the outfit has to always be tied into the moment.
08:49Okay.
08:49Okay?
08:50Okay.
08:50So let's look at the moment.
08:51Okay.
08:52That's the thing.
08:53Okay.
08:53Black designer.
08:55Never had a runaway show.
08:56None of that.
08:57Never been to Europe.
08:59You know, my first time in Europe was with Gucci.
09:01Okay?
09:01None of that, right?
09:03So I have my own table at the Met Gala.
09:09My own table.
09:10And then everybody at my table is going to have on outfits designed by me
09:18at the Met Gala.
09:20As well as myself.
09:21How many people can say that?
09:22When I stepped on that red carpet with my red silk tails outfit.
09:31I ain't never wear tails in my life.
09:34I got my tail beat, beaten by my mouth.
09:37That's the only thing I knew about tails.
09:39They could just tell me.
09:40Now I'm standing on that camera and I got my red tails over here.
09:46full circle moment.
09:47Full circle moment.
09:48I'm swinging.
09:49That moment was like so crazy.
09:50Full circle moment.
09:51Yeah, man.
09:52The red carpet.
09:53And now, the true value of that movement was like, you know, times pass.
10:01But when you are recognized on that level, while the people who control the industry are still
10:13in place, are still in place, and Anna Wintour was still the head.
10:18She stepped down a little bit now.
10:20But she's still ahead.
10:21To walk that red carpet while she is still in the position she is.
10:26And I'm walking by Anna Wintour with a hand there.
10:29And all these people with the design that I have.
10:32And I got my red tails outfit.
10:34Leading them.
10:35Wow.
10:36I felt like General Sherman going through the South.
10:39Burning everything in his way.
10:41Yeah, that was a great moment.
10:44Okay, so we're going to play a fun game.
10:45Okay.
10:46And we are going to test your knowledge of some of the most infamous Dapper Dan moments.
10:53Okay.
10:54So first, we have this image.
10:57Who is that?
10:58The great.
10:59One of the pioneers, if not the key pioneer, of New Jack Swing by the ground.
11:07Yes.
11:08That is correct.
11:09You've gotten that one correct.
11:11Next.
11:12This is probably an easy one, but.
11:16One of the greatest of all times.
11:19I mean, her name is like.
11:22Calling out a goddess.
11:25Yes.
11:26I concur.
11:27Beyonce.
11:28Absolutely.
11:29Two out of two.
11:31We're on to the next.
11:33Let's see if this one stumps you, but the name might give it away.
11:36The name on the sleeve might give it away.
11:38I watched him grow up, man.
11:39I watched him develop to be who he is today.
11:43Like they're in.
11:44They're in.
11:45They're in.
11:46They're nice.
11:47DJ D nice.
11:48DJ D nice.
11:49DJ D nice.
11:50Okay.
11:51Next.
11:52We have you in.
11:53We have you in this one as well.
11:54Yeah.
11:55But who is that?
11:56Zach didn't see you.
11:58The almighty LL Cool J and the outfit you see him on today.
12:05I'm creating an outfit similar to that for his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
12:12Coming up soon.
12:13Oh, we'll be on the lookout for that.
12:14We'll be, we'll be on the lookout for that.
12:16All right.
12:17Real fun.
12:19This is actually, to be honest, one of my favorites.
12:22If you like candy, ain't nobody more sweetie.
12:27Sweetier than this.
12:30That's sweet.
12:31Sweetie.
12:32You have to feed her right now.
12:33Let's see.
12:34I think we have a few more.
12:35Okay.
12:36All right.
12:37It's a throwback too.
12:38Yeah.
12:39Those are the golden boys from the golden age.
12:44Okay.
12:45Of hip hop.
12:46Yes.
12:47Every being rocking.
12:48Bingo.
12:49And let's wrap it up.
12:51I think.
12:52Yes.
12:53This is the last one.
12:54Recent.
12:55Big red carpet moment.
12:57Yes.
12:58Big red carpet.
12:59And nobody can, has ever walked the red carpet at the Met Gallon.
13:08Mm-hmm.
13:09Like this man.
13:10Ever since, any red carpet.
13:12Nobody.
13:13Any red carpet.
13:14Billy Porter burned the red carpet up.
13:19Every single red carpet.
13:20Billy Porter.
13:21And you don't look bad yourself.
13:23Yeah.
13:24This burnt orange.
13:25Yeah.
13:26He's having a little room on that.
13:27I said, better go and do your thing.
13:28Yeah.
13:29So you have won.
13:30You've got every single one, right?
13:32Yeah.
13:34Thank you for being you.
13:36Thank you for your wisdom.
13:38Thank you for your impact on fashion.
13:40Wow.
13:41And I am excited to see this, this, this atmosphere to stratosphere outfit on November 10th.
13:49Yeah.
13:50Yeah.
13:51We got it.
13:52We got it.
13:53We got it.
13:54It's got to be right.
13:55It's got to be amazing.
13:56We got to be consistent with everything I stand for.
13:57Yep.
13:58It's got to be an opportunity to tell people about what's coming and to reveal different
14:02little elements of my past.
14:03Thank you so much.
14:04It's my pleasure.
14:05All my pleasure.
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