Chances are you know the brand Avirex for its aviator jacket’s cameo on the silver screen, iconically appearing on the back of Tom Cruise in the 1986 movie Top Gun. But Avirex isn’t just famous for its appearances in film; it’s also had a ton of cameos in the music world too.
Founded in New York in 1975 by attorney Jeff Clyman, Avirex is a clothing brand inspired by “the speed and grit of aviators.” Best known for its leather jackets - the same ones that the brand actually supplied to the US Air Force in the ‘80s - Avirex is recognised as a global leader in leather bombers.
When you have this much clout in the aviation world, it doesn’t take long for other industries to start noticing, and exactly that happened to Avirex in the ‘90s. It was during this time that East Coast rappers and their stylists first took an interest in the brand, and before long, they’d fully introduced Avirex to their world.
Part of the reason that the hip-hop community took such an interest in Avirex is because of its reputation in the ‘90s. Thanks to the brand’s high quality materials and craftsmanship, Avirex’s leather jackets came with a relatively high price tag, and as we all know, with money comes status.
Because of this, it didn’t take long for Avirex to become a street status symbol, and if there’s one thing a rapper’s stylist loves, it’s that. As a result, by the end of the decade, almost every rapper in New York owned an Avirex jacket. We’re talking icons like Fat Joe, Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Biggie Smalls, Mobb Deep, and more.
Something that sets Avirex apart from other luxury brands is that, during this era, it actually sent garments out to some of the rappers who ended up wearing its pieces, gifting custom jackets for free. Not only did Avirex embrace the culture of hip-hop, just as it embraced them, but it actively worked to get more figures in hip-hop wearing its clothing.
The rap community doesn't forget that, and it’s partly how Avirex has stayed popular with hip-hop artists even today. From Drake to Lil Durk, music artists continue to rep the brand’s leather jackets. But we'll never forget the time Biggie did it first.
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