" wearing Gucci and Armani, feeling rich like Wesley Snipes"
In the dancehall world, image might not be everything, but alongside the sound, its arguably the ONLY thing
And in their pursuit of the right image, dancehall's finest have name-checked some of the foremost luxury brands (if not the most exclusive, so no Vertu or Aston-Martin). Here's a quick look at the dancehall top shelf
Gucci
Guccio Gucci was the grand-grand daddy of high fashion. His monogram(and the interlocking "Gs" logo) has adored scores of items and been knocked off thousands more. Everything from the now iconic handbags and jeans to caps, watches and even a special anniversary edition of the Fiat 500.
Armani
The dean of Italian menswear started his eponymous company in 1975, nd has turned it into a one-name empire encompassing various types of couture and ready-to-ear brands as well as fine dining and now accommodations. Credited as one of the pioneers of "red carpet fashion" Armani is lionized by dancehall artists in too many songs to mention.
Prada
The company was started in 1913 by Mario Prada and his brother Martino as a leathergoods shop – Fratelli Prada (English: Prada Brothers) – in Milan, Italy. Initially, the shop sold leather goods and imported English steamer trunks and handbags. Despite her father's belief that women should have no role in business, daughter Luisa took over the reins in the mid-1950s, and her daughter Miuccia would come in as of 1978 and transformed it into a global brand
Burberry
Plaid (Tartan, to be exact) can be cool. Who'dathunkit? Dating back to 1856, Burberry is actually most famous for its trench coat (not exactly tropical wear), which was designed by founder Thomas Burberry. The company has branded stores and franchises around the world and also sells through concessions in third-party stores. Queen Elizabeth II and the Prince of Wales have granted the company Royal Warrants, which have been maintained despite Burberry's closure of its factory in Wales.
Dolce & Gabbana
Perhaps the most famous pair in fashion, Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana met whilst working at another fashion house, starting their own business in 1985. the 'D&G" logo is among the world's most recognized, and the appeal of their T-shirts is yet to wane.
Hugo Boss
the only German makes on this list, and one whose founder had the dubious distinction of being a member of the Nazis. The company he founded was banned after WWII, but resucitated and run by his sons and associates. Boss made its name initially with fragrance, before adding suits and then branching out globally, growing to revenues of 2,4 billion Euro (2013).
Moschino
Despite Beenie Man's famous criticism of its founder, Moschino remained a much-loved fashion brand among dancehall exponents and their followers and, like The brand was originally created in 1983 by the late Franco Moschino (1950–1994). Moschino and his fashion label became famous for his innovative, colorful – sometimes eccentric – designs, for his criticisms of the fashion industry and for his social awareness campaigns in the early 1990s. After Moschino's untimely death, Rossella Jardini, his former assistant, became creative director. The brand has been part of the Aeffe fashion group since 1999
Versace
He may have used the Medusa head as his logo, but Gianni Versace, known as 'Vuhsawshi" in dancehall parlance, set a standard for looking good and letting everyone know it. This sense of theatre helped propel the Versace brand to global status and thus when the founder was gunned down at his Miami home in 1997, there were shockwaves throughout the fashion and entertainment worlds.
Ed Hardy
The recently departed (10 July) creator of the Ed Hardy brand, Christian Audigier (born Ginutti) lived long enough to see his brand achieve a level of ubiquity that few before him or since have managed in such a short space of time. Suddenly, it seemed sequined skulls and garlanded rogues were the only things to wear
Hennessy
its position atop the "baller's drink pyramid may perhaps never be successfully challenged, so deeply integrated is this three centuries -plus cognac brand, which was in fact founded by an Irishman, Richard Hennessy by name. Today, Hennessy moves about 50 million bottles annually worldwide, with no telling how many of that is downed by dancehall artistes, their hip-hop cohorts and their supporters and wanna-bes
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