| Over the last few years the fashion trend of hip hop | | | | around the world. After FUBU came Phat Farm which |
| clothing has grown from an underground street culture | | | | was a trendy line launched by Def Jam president |
| into the mainstream fashion world. Urban clothes are | | | | Russell Simmons - a hip hop mogul himself. This line |
| now proudly shown at the top fashion shows in Milan, | | | | was wildly successful and enjoyed the promotion and |
| Italy, Paris and New York. Just ten years ago such | | | | patronage of several high profile rappers. After these |
| blatantly flashy and urban clothes would never have | | | | lines gained steam and saw success, many rappers |
| seen the light of day at these shows, but now they | | | | started catching on to the idea that they could launch |
| are proudly displayed. So what is this emerging trend | | | | their own lines of gear and started to do so. Jay Z |
| and which consumers are driving the growth of this | | | | came out with Rocawear, a tremendously successful |
| fashion niche? | | | | line which he eventually sold for several hundred million |
| The answer can be found in looking at the history of | | | | dollars. Other rappers followed suit, although not all |
| hip hop itself and it's evolution into the mainstream of | | | | were as successful. 50 Cent introduced his G Unit |
| music and fashion culture. Hip hop went from being the | | | | clothing line to much acclaim and even partnered with |
| music of a few skateboarders and corner lyricists to | | | | Reebok on a top selling shoe line. |
| being the predominant musical culture of todays young | | | | Through the years urban clothes have evolved greatly |
| generation. As more and more people listen to hip hop | | | | with many smaller and more unique lines springing up. |
| and urban music, the fashion styles and the clothing | | | | There are now literally hundreds of lines of hip hop |
| these young people were wearing started to reflect | | | | clothes as is evident at the latest Magic Fashion Show |
| the music and artists they were listening to. While most | | | | in Las Vegas. There are many artistic trends such as |
| do not remember this now, the first trend to be | | | | t-shirts with hand painted images and drawings, lines by |
| adopted from urban music were the Adidas shoes | | | | and for women, hats and even hip hop jewelry which |
| which were originally made popular by the hip hop | | | | imitates the bling bling styles worn by hip hop artists. |
| legend Run DMC. After that came the bling bling | | | | Overall the hip hop styles have evolved greatly since |
| jewelry and the baggy pants, followed by backward | | | | the introduction of the first urban gear brand. They are |
| hats and large chains. | | | | now considered way within the mainstream of clothing |
| The trend was further moved forward when the | | | | and fashion and are also breaking new ground with |
| famous rapper LL Cool J signed on to promote the | | | | creativity and designs. Hip hop clothing is here to stay |
| FUBU clothing line. FUBU stood for "For Us By Us" and | | | | and has now claimed a foothold in the fashion industry |
| was the first urban clothing line to hit the mainstream | | | | as a whole. |