A Creative Symphony and a Love Story between Music and Fashion: Kendrick Lamar and Martine Rose
When, a few days ago, the video for “The Hillbillies,” the new song resulting from the collaboration between Baby Keem and Kendrick Lamar, was released, everyone’s attention focused on the incredible outfit sported by K-Dot. This is not a coincidence, but yet another piece that makes up the creative union between the Compton rapper and the talented British designer Martine Rose. This extraordinary union came about thanks to the artistic spark that struck Kendrick last November, when their partnership was announced during the “Mr. Morale & The Big Steppers” tour. Inspired by past icons such as Eazy-E, Tupac and the Compton Cowboys, Martine Rose included in her collection a black leather jacket embellished with the words “Oklama,” Kendrick’s latest nickname, embroidered on the shoulders. Completing the look was a pair of leather shorts with metal buckles on the sides and a black sweatshirt with the designer’s classic stylized logo. “Doing a project with Martine Rose has always been a dream for me. The creative chemistry between Kendrick Lamar and Martine Rose did not end with the tour, but continued all the way to the Grammy Awards last February, where Kendrick Lamar took the stage to accept the Best Rap Album award while wearing a full outfit by Martine Rose. There was no shortage of curated details, such as the new Nike Shox MR4 in an exclusive colorway, which fused the world of sportswear with formal elements, such as the track jacket that replaced the more classic suit jacket paired with a shirt and tie. This extraordinary partnership was also witnessed in K-Dot’s recent video, in which the rapper wears the trucker cap, part of Rose’s latest collection. The same cap was worn a few months earlier by Kanye West, who was an early supporter of Martine Rose, sharing a photo of one of her sweatshirts and calling it “her favorite.” As a result, the sweatshirt sold out in no time, as did the trucker hat, which can now be found on Grailed for $650. Martine Rose’s name is by no means new in the fashion world. After gaining experience in Demna’s shadow at Balenciaga, the British designer was a guest at the last Pitti in Florence and has worked extensively with Nike. Recently, she also took on the role of guest creative director for the Clark’s brand. It was only a matter of time before the rap world discovered her, as evidenced by her ad campaign during the 2021 pandemic, which included Drake’s participation. Not surprisingly, Kendrick Lamar chose her as his muse. In recent times, the Compton rapper has been getting closer and closer to the world of fashion. First he walked the runway of Louis Vuitton’s show at Paris Fashion Week last June, and then he attended the Met Gala celebration organized by Chanel, sporting an outfit that combined a Bottega Veneta jacket with an MLB snapback hat with Chanel’s interlocking C logo. It was all thanks to stylist Taylor McNeill, who allowed Kendrick to take the last step he was missing, enshrining him in the Olympus of high fashion. We’ve seen him on the cover of W Magazine wearing a Balenciaga Couture suit or tailored in Louis Vuitton for his Super Bowl performance. This creative synergy between Kendrick Lamar and Martine Rose is wonderful news for both parties involved, as well as for our eyes and social feeds, which are always ready for K Dot’s next outfit and Martine Rose’s next collection.
