CULTURE FORWARD

XXL MAGAZINE

In 2012, I pitched and placed a fashion piece in XXL Magazine connecting a metallic sneaker trend to a decades-long arc of Black cultural expression around flashiness, wealth signaling, and hip hop identity.

This was not a trend report. It traced the evolution from Rakim and Slick Rick's rope chains to Diddy and Mase's shiny suits to Jay-Z and Busta Rhymes wearing Christian Louboutin and Maison Martin Margiela. Featuring interviews with June Ambrose and Taboo of the Black Eyed Peas.

Published in April 2012. The Louis Vuitton x Supreme collaboration that defined the convergence of streetwear and luxury did not happen until 2017. This piece named the cultural logic behind it five years before it peaked.

Skills: Cultural Strategy, Cultural Forecasting, Cultural Narrative.