Our fantasy Street Dapper Kings roster, pt. 2
Each year, Garage releases its list of Street Dapper Kings: the best-dressed men around town whose styles are less about labels and more about personalities and creative visions. Our August/September 2017 issue is no exception–it’s out in newsstands now–but we thought of dreaming even bigger and coming up with a (current) ultimate list of the flyest Street Dapper Kings on our radars. Our selection ranges from artists to athletes to fashion insiders and outliers, and we even throw in a little wish on how our best-dressed choices could even push their personal styles further. Here’s part two of our fantasy list.
Style: Retro cool
Would fit right in at: The runways of Giorgio Armani and Saint Laurent
Signature elements: Vintage-cut suits and a sleek hairstyle
Would also look great in: The tailored appeal of the Paul Smith Fall 2017 collection
The funk meister behind Amy Winehouse’s Back to Black and 2015’s bestselling record Uptown Funk is this five-time Grammy winner, DJ, musician, and producer extraordinaire, who is also my all-time Street Dapper King fantasy. Mark Ronson is a true fashion connoisseur and an effortless style chameleon, able to give justice to whatever era or genre he wants to channel. Back in the ‘90s, he rocked the baggy silhouette while modelling alongside Aaliyah in a Tommy Hilfiger campaign. In the 2000’s, he looked sleek in suits (check out Bang, Bang, Bang for your visual pleasure) and proved his cool cachet by collaborating with Gucci for a sneaker collection. Presently, the 40-something English artist continues to refine his style, taking the best bits of the ’50s, ’60s, and ’80s, mixing them all up, and topping off the result with his own contemporary twist. His retro dapper formula mainly consists of a nicely tailored suit–with an old-school bomber jacket swapped in for more laid-back days–polished two-toned leather derbies or plain white sneakers, printed button-down shirts or a t-shirt, and, to complete the look, his pompadour hairstyle. But while he has mastered the classic sartorial spin, Ronson is also fearless when it comes to taking current fashion runway styles out for a drive, able to sport a luxurious Hugo Boss blue velvet tuxedo one day then an all-pink VersacexH&M suit and shoes combo the next. If you’re not yet convinced that this brilliant musician is also a genius style icon, take a look at his Instagram and prepare to be dazzled. – Edlene Cabral, Style Editor
Style: Low-key hipster swagger
Would fit right in at: The Brooklyn-based streetwear brand 10.Deep‘s catalogue
Signature elements: Floral tops, tan bomber jacket, slim cut skater jeans, Nike Cortez sneakers, tailored suits in either monochromatic colors or unusual color combinations
Would also look great in: The futuristic, space opera looks from the Jil Sander Fall 2017 collection
If there were such a thing as a quintuple threat, Donald Glover would be it. Actor, writer, producer, rapper/singer, and comedian–it seems there’s nothing Glover can’t do, and he’ll look fly while doing it. He smoothly transitions from hipster with a full beard, lens-less eyeglass frames, and checked shirts, to brainy coed in a Breton shirt that’s paired with a leather jacket and slim fit jeans. His rapper alter-ego Childish Gambino says “F*ck that” to the gangster-rapper stereotype. Instead, he chooses to drop rhymes in floral button-down shirts, sweat shorts, and his trusty off-white Nike Cortez sneaks. But don’t think he can’t pull off the more tailored red carpet aesthetic: his rich brown velvet suit at the 2017 Golden Globes was perfectly accessorized by the end of the night with the two trophies he won for his work on the critically-acclaimed comedy Atlanta. And now that he’s been cast as Lando Calrissian in the yet unnamed Han Solo project and as Simba’s voice in the live action remake of The Lion King, it will be interesting to see what new sartorial direction Glover will take. But if it’s like anything we’ve seen from him, it’ll certainly be with the right balance of flair and IDGAF attitude. – Didy Evangelista, Features Editor
Style: Fit for multiple personalities
Would fit right in at: A fashion mixer featuring a hodge-podge of brands, from Vetements and Off-White’s A/W 2017 to the sexy rocker style of Saint Laurent, especially during Hedi Slimane’s creative directorship
Signature elements: Unpolished styling, billowing fur coats, oversized and cropped pieces, caps with long latches, and bulldog clips to hold small items
Would also look great in: The generously laid-back yet still crisp silhouettes of Lanvin‘s spring 2018 collection
G-Dragon, music producer and member of K-pop group Big Bang, is probably the sartorial version of the saying, “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere.” Which is why he’s my fantasy Street Dapper King: he can wear the most outrageous of outfits and still pull them off with swagger and verve. While he’s made headlines for his quirky looks (dubious ones included), he cemented his fashion figure status when watchers started copying and trying out his kind of style. Going beyond Big Bang’s outlandish stage costumes of huge fur coats, excessive metal accessories, drummer boy head gear, and sequined and velvet suits, G-Dragon’s swag persona comes through in his streetwear and rocker chic looks that rely on pieces with graphic prints and graffiti details, oversized outerwear, cigarette pants, eyewear with large and round frames, and a very diverse collection of footwear. He’s made international designer Karl Lagerfeld look his way, and as a result, he’s become a constant presence at Fashion Week front rows and even a Chanel ambassador, with a digital campaign for the bag Gabrielle (which is actually for women, but not exclusively anymore, I guess). His experimental fashion sense has inspired people to see what’s cool in the unconventional, creating a frenzy in his country for streetwear and opening the doors of Korean fashion to the world, and vice versa. G-Dragon recently launched PeaceMinusOne, a streetwear brand he co-owns with his stylist Gee Eun. The label offers a much tamer version of his usual clothes: wide-leg cropped pants, loose long-sleeved shirts, high socks, belts with ring hooks, and even bulldog clips (which are already sold out, BTW). With his eccentric fashion sense, I sometimes wonder if he’s ever had second thoughts about his outfits, but G-Dragon has already answered that in Dazed: “There’s a phenomenon of the line and conflict between self-confidence and embarrassment narrowing. There are times even I am a bit embarrassed by my look. [But] don’t be afraid. There is no right answer in fashion.” – Yzza Hablado, Style Assistant
