Famed Harlem couturier Dapper Dan is the face of Gucci’s men’s tailoring advertising campaign

Dapper Dan was one of the hottest names in Harlem in the late ’80s and early ’90—his 24-hours atelier has created some of the most stylish made-to-order designs for the biggest stars in hip-hop, such as LL Cool J, Rakim, and the members of RUN DMC. Although he has gone under the radar since his eponymous boutique shut down, he slowly but surely making a comeback. Gucci and Dapper Dan were first linked when the Italian brand was accused of plagiarising one of Dapper Dan’s designs (a mink jacket with logo puff sleeves was spotted at the Gucci Cruise 2018 show), but the claims were refuted by its creative director Alessandro Michele, who said that the look was an homage to the couturier. Both names have come together this round Gucci’s men’s tailoring ad campaign, and further collaboration in the form of a capsule collection is reportedly in the works.

Shot by Gucci’s longtime collaborator Glen Luchford, the campaign celebrates Dapper Dan’s legacy by capturing his suave personality and style against his familiar neighbourhood of Harlem. The series of pictures features him posing (in Gucci, no less) alongside children playing on the sidewalks, and one of the images was shot in front of the famous Apollo Theatre—an iconic music hall that hosted performances by Aretha Franklin, Prince, Michael Jackson and more. 

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