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Dogs or cats? (To prove Mr. Starace wrong)

Media's Influence on Fashion 12/2/17




        There are countless numbers of "influencers" on fashion: rappers, social media accounts, and even designers themselves. These are the people who set the current trends in fashion. In the RAF music video, by A$AP Mob (a Harlem-based rap group started by A$AP Yams, A$AP Bari, and A$AP Illz, who later recruited A$AP Rocky, their most notable member as of today), the group raps about a number of things (mostly focusing on popular designers and brands), however, the title comes from the designer Raf Simons. Raf has been making clothes since the 90s and has worked with other brands and designers such as Jil Sander, Christian Dior, and Calvin Klein.
        A$AP Rocky has a reputation of being a trendsetter, especially in fashion. He is notably the biggest fashion "influencer" in the game, and has been for a long time (since he wore supreme towels under his hat). With the release of RAF, the brand has been more popular than ever. In the fashion industry, brands mentioned in the song such as Rick Owens, J.W. Anderson, and so on are reified. These brands have a positive connotation all because they've been hyped up by famous rappers, and then reinforced through social media by famous fashion accounts: a popular example of this being the Balenciaga Triple S. 
        Although Raf Simons isn't using A$AP Mob, and other rappers for product placement, the rap industry has almost become an outlet for advertising what is deemed popular by the rappers themselves. Now, people are flocking to stores to buy these garments. Although unintentional, rappers are making their audience believe they need what the rappers are talking about or wearing in music videos. People are beginning to feel like in order to be "cool," you need to own Raf Simons, Rick Owens, Jil Sander, and so on. 
        These brands, and more specifically their most popular pieces, are becoming a weird status symbol, where people are buying garments not because they like them, but because they have been reified to a point where it is no longer the item or it's elegant design that people are interested in, it's the fact that they own a piece that others don't have-but want. 

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