A$AP Rocky Makes Paris Fashion Week Debut With First AWGE Runway Collection
Rocky shares with Hypebeast how he brings his ghetto expressionism to “American Sabotage.”
A$AP Rocky and AWGE make their debut at Paris Fashion Week with their first-ever fashion show. Titled “American Sabotage,” the collection features 30 meticulously crafted looks, exploring the use of ghetto expressionism. With design support from Joshua Jamal, Bede Marchand and Coucou Bebe, American Sabotage gives audiences a look into his creative instinct and mind. Fashion Killa by name, Rocky steps away from conventional definitions, while bridging community through culture.
Set to three unreleased track from A$AP Rocky’s upcoming album, the collection is where art meets activism. Designed with a purpose, the collection also features footwear from PUMA as well as Ray-Ban eyewear. When guests first walk into the venue at the Hôtel de Maisons, they’re greeted with three Alpine-sponsored super cars along with a group of AWGE misfits standing guard at the door with flags that read “Don’t Be Dumb,” evidently setting the tone for the collection.
Speaking to Rocky before the show, the multi-hyphenate designer told Hypebeast why he chose to call the collection “American Sabotage.” He explained, “America in itself has a lot of historical values…I’m putting light on my American story, my American horror story, my American story, my American sabotage.” Rocky added, he would often sit on the streets of New York watching people and seeing people of different ethnicities and classes, from rich to poverty driven people. I pull inspirations from all of that…refugees, incarcerations, mass incarcerations. I’ve been subject to all those things. I’m very familiar with all those things and for me this is just me sharing my ghetto expression.”
The designs were certainly done with a purpose. With pieces featuring phrases like “POLITICAL SATIRE” and bomber jackets with the American bald eagle and flag as a prominent motif, the clothes came together to tell Rocky’s story. America’s Uncle Sam poster had its own iteration for the collection, taking on a rebellious nature with two middle fingers up and a “F$CK YOU!” — making it truly Rocky coded. Oversized silhouettes took over, while dramatizing street scenes in New York. Pieces inspired by New York Police Department and Paramedics’ uniforms are nod to Rocky’s idea “ghetto expressionism.” Multi-layering of pieces gave the pieces volume, simulating Rocky’s own signature style.
Take a look at the full collection above.
