The A$AP mob has, from its conception, set its sights far beyond impacting the world of music. Jeremy Scott, Raf Simons, Rick Owens, Goyard, Off-White, Vlone and many more giants of luxury fashion have had their contemporary cultural image shaped by endorsements from the Jiggy Goons from Harlem. Beyond the near ethereal position A$AP Rocky now finds himself in as a global fashion influence, the couture exploits of a handful of other A$AP members have not gone unnoticed. One member, in particular, has become a creative kingpin and an oracle for trending aesthetics and influences.
A$AP Nast prides himself on being an all-rounded entertainer of old, conveying charm and character through his wardrobe as well as his pen. Much like his music, his fashion influences are broad and multi-dimensional encompassing different eras from the silks and colours of Motown, all the way down to the shell-suits and shell-toes of UK football hooligan culture. However, his hometown of Harlem is the birthplace of his fascinations as vintage photography of 1930’s Harlem and the colorways of old muscle cars form the foundations of his fashion aspirations.
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Today, travel influences his style more than anything else, except perhaps his mother, as his love of global underground cultures has allowed him to integrate designers from every nook and cranny of the world into his rotation. This love has led him to release collaborative collections with the likes of Pangea, Sergio Tacchini, Reebok, MCM, Comme des Garçons, Diesel and Converse.
This broad-spanning interest in fashion around the world is emblematic and symptomatic of ASAP Nast’s infatuation with combing different genres of clothing and mismatched eras of fashion to create something futuristic and forward-thinking. Whether it be 50s tailored suits with 80s inspired sportswear, or 90s athleisure with an early 2000s punk rock twist, in a no-rules era of fashion, he is comfortable amongst the chaos.
A$AP Nast’s holy grail brands of Comme des Garçonss & Prada comprise the largest portion of his wardrobe, more often than not re-upping on his classic Prada pieces every season. As is evident through his music, it’s the fundamentals that mean the most to him as Prada’s usage of high-quality materials and all-time classic cuts has kept him coming back for more year after year.
Although the A$AP Mob are as Harlem as Harlem can be, they are universal beloved as men of the world and modern-day renaissance men that draw on timeless trends and uncover undiscovered treasures. They fuse the worlds of music, art and fashion to redefine what a rapper or even man in America is supposed to be, or supposed to wear. A$AP Nast has long been undervalued for his rap acumen, lets not let the same thing happen to his impact on fashion.
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See also: THE INTRIGUING RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN FASHION AND SKATE CULTURE
See also: WHY FASHION WANTS IN ON THE SKATE SHOE
