As always this episode is sponsored by my go to stop for anything makeup Revlon. Hey everybody. I'm Ashley Graham. And this is pretty big deal. We're confidence is key every episode I get to pick the brains of brilliant and inspiring honest new and old friends who are a pretty big deal today. We're talking to the fashion icon and Arlo Legend Dapper. Dan dab has returned to the mainstream reopened his Harlem ottilie a and taken his rightful seat at the table in the fashion industry. Dapper Dan is in the house what thank you so much for being here. Well, I'm happy just being around you. Let me tell you something. You totally amazing. I'm not used to this because I live like in a cocoon for 20 years. I you know, I'm a real product my community, right? So only the last four years like five years since I came out of the underground have I ever had a chance to engage the people I'm talking to now my only relationship with people who are meeting now is through book. Books hmm, you know other than that thing when I'm in Harlem, I'm talking Harlem still and I'm always there. So anything that's inside of me that's outside of that. I had to get from books and so now to get real and people like for the last since I came out of underground everyone my son to verify this everybody who's came and interviewed me when we're done. I interviewed them because I couldn't understand what it was about me that they found like so interesting. In fact, I researched myself. So I'm Looking up that but Dan see what exactly alerts. Yeah, so see what people are saying about me and I come across this book. And the title of the book is re mixing the classroom this new form of learning. Right and so does professor at Columbia University School of Music and he teaches The Graduate course in music and I come across the book and the first chapter the book. Is he showing graduate students how to learn based on what he learned from me from reading the, New York. Worker article from when I came out of the underground I say I gotta go see this guy and see what he's talking about right joking. So I go to Columbia University to one is sitting on one of his classes, you know, and we engage in conversation and I tell him I said I never realized what to do. He says what you did the reason you didn't realize that he says because of what you did people don't think about it while they're doing it. And so that's when it came to me I say, oh, so this is where I was everybody's interests the way I live through necessity. Is what they're teaching as an option now and so they saying that the open classroom is a new form of learning and the process is about teaching yourself from one garment bag to the next which brings me to the Met. Oh my God, we had a ball. Okay. So for everybody who's listening or watching I want us to describe the Met for them because not everybody gets the chance to go and you've been twice. Yes. I've been twice and I've been three times and I Amber last year when we met I made sure like I was like, where's Dad everything? Okay you good, but then this year we got to go together. Wow. That was so amazing. I know let me tell you first you were so nice that I wasn't used to it. You know, I wasn't talking about, you know, you called and you called you called me and you invited me like a proper gentleman. Yes, but that's the second time I'm talking about the first time that we can go. Yes, we met and you called me from the body make sure I was all right, because I know Oh, I was in I was in a Strange Land. I know my first time at the Met. I was also in a Strange Land and I know what that feels like to go to the Met. Yeah, and so I wanted to make sure you were taken care of the Mets sealed the deal for me in terms of fashion because it's two people. I wanted to meet Andre Leon Talley and of course the Queen Anna Wintour the queen if I can be acknowledged by the king and queen that seals the deal and I messed up the first time I was so nervous. I Through a door so I can get to shake her hand. So I had to wait so you didn't go up the stairs you win. So they're very well at all like citement of you know, the paparazzi all over the place. That's what happens when you actually get to the Met. There's a huge red carpet. There's Paparazzi on other side. There's people who want to interview you and it's a little intimidating but then there's always like someone that's supposed to direct you through the actual Museum and I know that people sometimes get redirected and properly so my first time I had walked up the stairs and I was he's out of breath. I was sweating out of breath and then boom they're all there to greet you the committee and I was like, so it was terrible. So you're maybe you're better off so you didn't meet them the first time but no, but the amazing part was coming down the red carpet before that, you know, you reach the paparazzi and I'm standing there and it's just me and Michael was re CEO Gucci. Oh, yeah, and that's a big deal for Mcgill. And so I'm looking around at called Asians is back there, but Honors over there. Oh I'm saying wait a minute. Am I in the right line? No, that was like before I even got to to the paparazzi. It was like I was taken aback. I could not believe what was happening. And I mean being at the Met is a big deal. Yeah. It was a very big deal being a part of the met and you had a table and you dress everybody the table. What was it like to finally be recognized by the fashion industry that they actually saw you for who you were and invited you to come in. Still quite haven't gotten over all of that. I can't even describe it to my friends to so outside of what we even know, but you know what the big tough but part about all of that that made me realize it it's just I didn't know how restricted the invitations Hall hmm. I don't want to mention names without there was some prominent names that I thought would be able to attend weren't able to attend. I was told you wanted to put it your table not even necessarily at my table. I had two people I want to put my I like that bitch, but just the way I learned the things that I learned about, you know, how they it's a very exclusive party. Yes. Yes. Yeah. I mean these established like people in the industry. So I was like, wow, this is a really big deal. I know it is. It's the who's who it's the Extravaganza and it's an all-night event and then you go into the After parties and that all turns into a thing as well. But what I didn't realize and what I didn't realize until I did all of my Dap research is that when I came in to actually design the dress with you you gave me full Reign Over designing the dress and this is truly who you are. This is who you've been since the 80s you've never told anybody what to wear you've always ask people. What do you want to wear? Yes, and I came in and I showed you a picture of Rihanna wearing a little tuxedo jacket. I said I want to do something like this. And you said okay cool, but how we going to make a Dap and we started picking out the fabrics and Thing how has your process changed or evolved over the years or has is this truly how you work fashion in relationship to Fine Arts has a different twist to it. Right? I'll see fashion is primarily something that's transformative right and for to be transformative not just transformative coming from me but to be able to transform people that I dress because I know each experience. I'm reliving the first time that I've been able to dress. Me and to get that feelings. So it's like, you know, you had a great High one day and you keep hitting that high. So everybody who comes you know, I get the opportunity to transform and to me that's the ultimate in fashion, right and not only that it keeps you relevant because you all who you dress. Hmm, you know, and did I give her like say for us as well? I gave to you. I'll let you play with your ideas and then I'll show you my ideas right and you see That came alive. I mean it was a true collaboration because it was exactly and for those of you at home. I mean, I I feel like I might have been one of the best-dressed the feedback from that it was like so exciting it really all it was my fate one of know I would just tell you it's my favorite Matt look ever it is perfect the beauty of all that is that your input in that it was like a reflection of yourself. Yeah. Yes. It makes the person wearing your looks feel even more confident. Don't ya elec was there the other day and we just select for bizarre the harbor bizarre. Yeah, and she was so excited. She says I've never been able to do this. I've never been able to come and get to wear something based on me and what I wanted, you know, and I love that. I love that. I think that I would like to see a lot of the youngsters who come along have as much an input that day. I think our designers have a tendency to be 2 into themselves. We need them to be creative and Eliminate these ideas from the self but we need some to embrace as well enormously and I think that had a lot to do with certain brands that been around forever and they lose connection to the people who they serve you know, but yes, I think that's what kept me relevant over the years. I think so. I mean you've transcended so many different cultures and looks and you just kept it you and now talking about the creative process. I want to talk about how you actually got Got here today, and there's a quote in your Memoir that I love and it was I was having trouble sewing my life together. So God made me a tailor. Yes, exactly. Tell us about that. I found the true secret to life is not only the ability to make yourself happy but to be able to instill happiness into the world and fashion allowed me to do that. I always remember when I was in the street and running the streets in the subculture and a drill culture. In they had a drug sweep, right? And in this drug sweep, it took off a whole lot of young people out of the community was selling drugs, but this was just one young girl who never sold drugs, right? She like refused to and everybody in her Circle did and I go up to her and say wow, they took everybody took all your friends. She was 15 years old and she told me she said that's what happens to people who make money off other people's sorrows. That resonated with me and I talked about that in the book. That is so amazing, you know, and so I said if I ever do something I want to do I want to do something like fashion through fashion. I can make people feel good about themselves, which is the opposite, you know to what I've seen that's why I'm so happy about everything that I'm doing now is opposite to what I felt to I mean just being on this side of it and that's why I feel like anybody who walks into your Tilly a you've make them feel like family immediately ordered. Could you have family working with you? Exactly? You have family who you have people working with you who aren't family who feel like they're family. Yes, and then you're automatically family when you walk in. I mean it's a sense of community. Is that how also you were raised to just have a sense of community around you the Hall of you know, today is the community but I grew up in the Harlem that was the village. You know, you hear people say it takes a village and yes, it does take a village like I think Martin Luther King was the one it says like 11 o'clock Sunday morning was America's most segregated hour. And the reason he said that not any relationship to racism anything. It's just that 11 o'clock Sunday morning in Harlem. You see everybody. I mean virtually everybody leaving their houses going to the different churches. Yeah. It was like so beautiful man. Now you're going to home today. We have these huge anybody visiting a home. Please take notice to these huge churches we have these churches will Full full of worshiping people. That's the home that I grew up in that's the village and so I'm used to that kind of community. You know, I'm used to that Village atmosphere and I never allow myself not to have that. So even now now I have this luxury Stone home. You will find me standing on the corner and front of my store. I know people in my community the average person in my community can't afford the luxury stuff that are going but I want them to know that I'm a part of them. So that's why you see me standing on the corner. Eating people and talking to people and saying hi to people is like a beautiful thing. That's a part of what I think the community should be like and what the community that raised me open door and open hand. Yes. What was your style like before you were standing out on the storefront greeting everybody? What was my style like? Okay. Okay back even in the 70s. What was your style like what you see today is the modification of what my style was like back then you know, I like with Alexandra does he like As a flare to it because it's always what we did. Yep. If there's anything that personifies our culture and how we relate to traditional looks and I did a lot of research on this. It's the Zoot Suit. What does that one look like the Zoot Suit? Okay, let me take significant because it's a reflection of our culture. All right, and in zoot suits is today is the way that I have done with the major. Is that the where are we remix the major brands? So at the great ballrooms back then when I was dancing in the ballrooms, everybody would dance but um the clothes that they were wearing wasn't suitable for the dance. So they used to tie the back of their pants is tied at there and then the tail is got on say let's just make the suit like that so they designed a zoot suits to fit the way. They were there sitting right this combination of Music took place where Dizzy Gillespie inand all the great jazz musicians went down to Cuba and And develop this music with the afro Cubans that Africa Brazil called afro-cuban Jazz, right? So the cube has picked up the Zoot Suit, right and the Cubans took it into Mexico. So the Mexicans picked it up and took it into California and that's when you saw the Zoot Suits in California says this will appease your thing. Like this is what you this is the historic the biggest historical thing that I could draw on that would explain, you know this cultural. Naaman on is taking place with hip-hop and Gucci which took place in the hip hop in the Major Brands. But this amazing thing happened right the same controversy that took place with the Gucci and everything. The Brand's took place with the zoo suits because this took place like a World War II now in the Zoot Suits is like United States government is saying we don't have enough fabric because the Zeus's take so much fabric, right? Yeah. So anybody got caught wearing a Zoot Suit was considered an American this is gone. This is the Deep this is considered under America and that's what generated the Zoot Suit Riots. Maybe you'll see me with a like a Gucci suit suit, but fashion fashion is amazing because if you look deep enough into it, you can extract so many Rich stories just like just like when you were in Liberia, and you met that Taylor exactly, can you tell oh, yeah at home not that time because I feel like this was a moment that kind of started to shape. Yes. That was there was very important because I'm growing Like out in the streets with all the street traits, you know, the criminal Street traits and I just decided that I didn't want to be part of that no more and I just left and went to Africa and while I'm traveling around Africa, you know naturally with had my debit, you know, my little deeper look and I get and I get to library I had went to I went to his house. Yeah, but which is the Congo now Kinshasa and for The Rumble in the Jungle woman when Muhammad Ali was fighting George Foreman and then first Time in Africa the right. That was my second time. That was just like okay. Yeah, so I'll Yvonne's I go to Lagos Nigeria and then I end up in Liberia. Right? So I want that last lap of the trips. So I said, let me get some artifacts so are going out to the market to get some out of facts, right? I'm looking at all the facts on say manner like this like that and the African Taylor's look at me up. They say I like your clothes I said, oh, yeah. I said you want to trade you say. Yeah, I ran up in the hotel got all my luggage is what I need be coming back United States with clothes that I got from them. Glue so I came back trade it all my clothes off for the artifacts on which I have in my Brownstone the home today. And in addition to that I had to make me close and this is where the Dapper Dan's style. This is why you see him he say I'll blacken eyes did or Africanized it. So what I did was with the fabrication they had their and the styles that African Americans will United States. I brought that combination together and had to make me thinks and that's what I came back with and I thought never left. So when I came back later on when I decide to go in the fashion, I develop that idea and and here and therefore Dapper Dan was born and nurtured say yeah, and then there's another story that I really like in the Memoir to because it's like you took yourself from Africa and then here you are. You're still designing first. Yeah. I was the 91st. Yes and a young man comes in and he's got an LV bag. And everybody starts they're just dead. Yeah, you know the big thing about that when I changed my life and you study religion the further you go back into religion it all vanishes into symbolism. So I was like really studying a lot of symbolism. So when this guy comes in my store now, this is not just a regular guy. This is his big guy. This is Jack Jackson, Jack Jackson was the most important person that come behind Nicky Barnes and and Bumpy Johnson knows really anti-heroes that come out of Harlem right and he is actually one of your Heroes. Yeah, he's one of my customers right got it. So he comes up with this Louis Vuitton pouch full $100 bills. I'm looking at the palace everybody's excited. This is Jack, you know and everybody gets excited about that pouch. I'm looking at the process a why they're so excited about their power any but five dollars-six dollars worth of item. But what I noticed was the symbols on it is what makes the difference it's the symbols, you know, the L the be the variation of the East Cross, you know me I said, oh that's what it is. Right. Imagine if I can take those symbols and create outfits that I have them looking like them bags. And then the whole idea was born. So from that point on I took myself textile printing so that I could you know, initially I said, I got to get them symbols right away. So I wouldn't buy a Gucci bags and Louis bags and cut them up I say but the sake of work can't have nobody to look walking around looking like plastic man, right because it was garment bag. Uh, yeah because of that hard vinyl, so I said I'm sweaty. Yes. I said I have to teach myself how to do this and put this on leather and put this on fabric. So then I start reading books going to particular trade shows so that I can you know industrial trade show that I can teach myself how to print on leather and different factors that I came up with this concept that I kept secret where I can put the leather and then the holdup and and I did this whole black and knives and luxury Brands was born and then this is where You got the actual title of the father of logo. Yes, and I was so excited about that. I think one of my greatest moments was being at the Museum of Modern Art and the curator at the Museum of Modern Art says to me he said that you are the most significant person for fashion motifs of the 20th century, you know, almost fell out now I was there that was like, so amazing. It's amazing how the artistic Community is more welcoming than the Um Community man, so that was like a big moment for me. No. Well. How long have you been doing this? I mean, you're 35 years 35 because death is 75. Sorry. I put you on blast but this it's remarkable to see how long yes, you have been doing this. Yes. Yes 35 years, but the big thing is like and I want everybody notice. The most important thing is to always prepare yourself to start over. You don't stay in shape Eat Right exercise. You know one of my favorite authors is Professor Hilton, wholesome the first book I read by hand wins own man's higher Consciousness. And in that he points out. He says every cell in your body and this is 1968-69. When I was reading he said every cell in your body will be replaced, you know, and then he goes into how to regenerate the body. Right? And this is something the scientist wasn't even saying like this was like the height of metaphysics. This guy was he's part of the theosophical society. So not impressed. All of those guys who you know take me back to when you first opened your store in Harlem. Do you remember who your first customer was? Of course because there was locals, you know, but the actual person no not exact. Okay, that's fine. I can tell you the first person with money who was who please let us know that would that would have to be checked with the big money, you know, you got to remember rappers didn't have any money back then, you know, there was just starting out wrap. No rap music was just it was the birth of the age of the wrap a shadow and you've worked with all of the top rappers Hustlers athletes all of them. Do you know this might be a really hard question for you just because it would be hard one for me as well. But do you have a favorite look from the 80s or 90s that you designed? Do? I have a favorite outfit that yes the most popular the one I would consider my most favorite. It's actually three but let me tell you why okay, the outfits that I did. Or Eric be and walk em, it looks Royal its golden black and it looks Royal but the most significant thing about it is you can tell from those outfits that I was reflecting who my customers was and not just something I was designing. So Rakim is a five percenter. So on the back of rakim's jacket, I put the 5% aside, which he wanted Erich be wasn't a five percenter. So I put the Gucci puff patch on the back of him as a reflection of who they are and those the two jackets that are in the outfits I look up to but in addition to that I think the most popular of all time is the Louis Vuitton snorkel that I did for what we call a boy wonder one of the guys who whose Style Just defines the particular age group and that was like a guy called on Alberto Martinez on Alpo, you know, and and the jacket that most people identify with Alberto is the snorkel because the snorkel was a Louis Ooh tongue, but a soft Plage a leather with the Louis Vuitton print that was phenomenal. So those are the three outfits that really defined at age. And then you're in your Brownstone. What was it a brownstone? It is a brownstone how it is. But the first one was it a brownstone as well. Yes is around so I still have it. Yeah. Wow. Yeah, I want to do political stage 2 and I was trying to get people to understand that gentrification was coming to home, but I couldn't get the community understand it. I took it upon myself to buy me a brownstone, you know, I pay $50,000 for back then and today is worth four million dollars and that's just to show you you know, so 10 years after having your first store. Now, we've got Mike Tyson and it's green. Yeah and Mike close Mitch's I yes he closed it and then here they are in your chili a yeah causing all kinds of trouble. They've got mad beef that changed the whole it was the best of times. It was the worst attack. Yeah, that best describe it. No, cause when I was under the radar, none of the brands will be aware of what I was doing or how I was doing it and then all of a sudden here's a teenage champion heavyweight champion is one of my main customers and and and this is interesting because I just had a conversation with her today. This is how I met Naomi Campbell. Really? Yeah. She was 19. She came to the store with Mike Tyson. Wow. Yeah 19. We talked about a whole career, you know, these separate staircases that we took and that's a whole nother subject because Naomi Campbell was on our way up that staircase and I was on my way up the other staircase, you know, and so yeah, Mike Tyson came with home. He came with Miss America the second big black America. Oh, wow. Yeah my cousin and they get into a fight, but then all of a sudden the cops come Professionally in the ring and Miss green wasn't happy about the outcome in terms of money as well as he didn't feel might beat him. So I had I'm waiting on Mike. I just made a jacket for Mike Tyson this coal don't believe the hype and all the hype in the world jump on the that's what it was written on the back as he wanted on the back of his head don't believe the hype. I didn't realize that he was getting ready to Hype me out of the market. Yeah. So, um, thanks Mike. Yeah Mitch Green heard that Mike Tyson usually come. Must do so the kids in the neighborhood. Say yeah, Mike Tyson. Whip your butt. He's over the store now and that's what brought him there that night. Yes, 2:30 in the morning and I was waiting for him to come pick up his jacket as you know, he's open 24 hours a day 365 days 10 years straight. Your customer service is impeccable. That's right at all times. So that turned into a street brawl started to the store without this are occurring steeple the next morning. It's all over all the major Publications. And then all the brands begin to say who is the Dapper Day then they all converged on me and then he had to work underground for 20 years 20 years 20 years underground and then was it 20 years underground? And then in 2017 is when Gucci had redone the Diane Dixon jacket. Well, it's an amazing story. You know, when you look at if you look at the whole picture my community and people of color communities throughout the world with open arms when they saw With social media came about when they finally found out. We'll all these Major Brands these ideas came from because they were poaching your ideas. Exactly. Do we even have social media at this point or was it your grandson that show to you? Well, you know what because I only say that because I know your grandson and I know he runs your social media now. Yeah, my grandson was involved in social media, but my son knew how my son Jelani he knew more about what involved this. You know, I knew nothing about black Twitter social media. Not now, but my son on Jelani and my other son Dana jr. They would teach me down. Like this is the new thing and then got it. Well not because I saw Tom Ford I saw Marc Jacobs. I saw that they were using my my ideas as far back as two thousand, you know, and now here was like 2017. Mm. I had no voice so I didn't challenge anything. So social media was your voice and social media became a voice. Yeah, and they set up for you and they stood up for me. I would have called. This a blessing in disguise. Well, what do you call this? I called it a miracle ha ha nothing short of a miracle because it like transform my whole life it transformed our own life and and to see this while I'm still you know eating and breathing is amazing thing. What is your partnership with Gucci look like today beyond anything that I could ever expect and I tell people this all the time this partnership is so miraculous that it's more like a dream than a reality. So much like a dream. I tell my friends don't get you close to me because if you pinch me and I wake up, I'm going to kill you. Yeah, so this whole thing with Gucci right? I had skepticism in the beginning because I said nah, why would they reach out like that? But then when I read up on multiple, sorry, and I read up on Alexandro and talk to him and find out the parallels between how Alexandra was coming up and what he faced as being a gay guy in Italy during the 80s and he told me his story and I'm a black guy Growing Up In Harlem during the 80s. You know, it's just Society conflicts in different ways, but it was the same type of conflict when you look at the bottom line and that influenced him and this influenced me and then Marco is brilliant because Marco knew that the age of cultural diversity and inclusivity has to be it has to Happened. It's inevitable. So between them to they led the charge to change the whole thing, you know, so, I'm sorry. I was very happy. I'm very happy about the deal. I'm happy for you. I think I mean when you walk in and you see Gucci everywhere in your chili a it's a Telltale sign that they are in a true collaboration with you as well. Yeah. So you talked about in your Memoir this time that made me cry because maybe it's because I'm hormonal right now, but it was about a time that you and your dad. Dad went suit shopping. Oh, yeah said to you you can read. Yeah, that's the most powerful moment in my life. You know, I really had to like reflect on and I constantly reflect on this. It's never been a time when that wasn't relevant to who I'm talking to who I'm meeting that goes with me everywhere man. I remember see my father came up from the south, you know, and he only went to the third grade. So that was like right after reconstruction American reconstructions, right? And he came up and he never we never saw any his family and I couldn't understand I said Dad how you leave home with 12 years old people really need to read to understand that my father left home at 12 years old. But with my father came up in 1910, he was 12 years old. That was right During the Reconstruction when African-Americans was leaving the South because you know the racial turmoil in the Ku Klux klan's on things are coming off. So those were the strongest people who left but that was the typical thing for people of color to leave at that age and come on, you know. No, but he only wanted was able to go to the third grade for you left. So when he gets up, he teaches himself how to read and and did a good job pretty good job, and then we're going to buy a suit one day, right and it's going to be on credit. I took the contract I said, let me see the card check. I'll take the contract and read it and at this time I was in eighth grade, you know new mathematical equation on figuring out how much he was going to have to pay. I said Dad don't buy this man. It's gonna cost sweet. I'm going to go so we are leaving the store and we One down the staircase, right? And my father starts me Midway going down and tears welling up in his eyes and he said boy don't you know, you could read he say boy you can read you know, and at that moment. I didn't understand what he meant. But as I changed when I changed my life right after that deal, I remember what he said and I read my way out of every problem that I've ever been into. I read my way into fashion. I read my way into gamma and I didn't I didn't let nothing stop me. For whatever. I learned I went and got a book. You know, I think that's it's so remarkable to hear you and all the interviews I've listened to and the Memoir that I the parts that I did read. You are a true educator you are about educating yourself knowing your history knowing where you come from knowing what you're walking into you want to know about people everything. I've never did recreational reading. I don't even know what that is always did directional reading. What is it that I need to know. What books do I have to retake Maan and have been In politics and it's all relevant. So and you see here on The Breakfast Club. I need it to be able to know these things to relate to this generation what this partnership meant would be in Gucci. You know, how do you have a boycott? You know, how do you how do you boycott a brand and you get nothing you walk away from around with nothing historically that has never happened people of color have never boycotted and without results, you know I'm saying and And in addition to that the boycott wasn't a valid when anyway well which is why I'm glad that you implemented the system that you did too. What is it that you're doing now and you're talking about inclusion and diversity. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah, inclusivity and diversity. Yes A system that you want to create and bring to other fashion brands. Yeah. It's a break to all the fashion brands. I'm going to spare her dead and thanks to Marco and Alexandra. We're doing that today, you know and this this is like I wish I can encourage people to read young people to read. This is the argument that goes back all the way back to the turn of the century between Du Bois Frederick Douglass, you know, and in the early think is man. Well, I just say your true inspiration young old black white everybody in between. So thank you so much. What is next for Dapper Dan? What I would like to see now is to have people looking at fashion and different way fashion to ERM not just individuals but communities man and I think that's what's so significant either intentional or unintentional when Alexandria Incorporated all these ideas from around the world, you know that validates who we all are we all need to tap into that energy and let the whole world know we are diverse, you know, but even though we're diverse we can be inclusive as well. And so that's the charge. I want to leave. That's the direction I wanted. Take okay. So on pretty big deal, I like to do one last thing to close everything up and it's you fill in the blank. Okay? Okay. You ready? Yeah. Okay fill in the blank. I pretty much always take public transportation. Okay. What's the biggest lesson you've learned in the past year to be in charge of my social media myself and not nobody else. What's the biggest? Just deal you've ever made my partnership with Gucci. Hey, and finally, you're obviously a pretty big deal. But what is a pretty big deal to you a pretty big deal for me is to be able to a deal that would then allow me to create generational wealth for my family. Hmm. It's about the Legacy and it's about the generational wealth. Laughter damn. Thank you so much. Thank you. I really appreciate your time. Oh and I got some other stuff for the new boy. Yes, you can. Oh my goodness. Oh, this is so cute. You okay? Everybody out listening. I have a Dapper Dan for Gucci box in my hand and it's for the little baby. Oh, oh my goodness Yep. This is such a perfect onesie. Thank you. Thank you. So Mason sweet and so many ways. I'm hearing Q. Thank you. Wait to put my baby in this. Well, I hope you come to the baby shower. Of course. Okay, it's gonna be enough Ember you ancelotti in the whole fam Dapper Dan. Thank you so much and everybody at home. We want you guys to be a part of this. Relation. So make sure you go to hashtag pretty big deal. And don't forget to subscribe on YouTube and don't forget to go to Instagram and Twitter app pretty big deal pod. We want to hear from you. And we also need you to talk to that below. So it would see you soon. Pretty big deal is produced by pretty big deal Productions and obb sound.
Ashley Graham sits down with fashion icon and Harlem legend, Dapper Dan! You may know him as the Father of Logo Mania — and you’ve definitely seen his designs on artists, athletes, and runways across the world. Dap found his way into the fashion world when he was inspired to put his signature spin on looks from famous European brands. Decades after being forced to close his first shop and take business underground, Dap has returned to the mainstream, reopened his Harlem atelier, and taken his rightful seat at the table in the fashion industry. HOST: Ashley Graham GUEST: Dapper Dan EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Ashley Graham, Penni Thow, Scooter Braun EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Michael D. Ratner, Scott Ratner, Miranda Sherman PRODUCED BY Pretty Big Deal Productions, OBB Picture & OBB Sound CO-EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Kelsey McWilliams, Ava Coleman DIRECTED BY: Kaliya Warren WRITER: Ava Coleman LINE PRODUCER: Jess Vogel ASSOCIATE PRODUCER: Ilyssa Walker RESEARCHER: Shahnaz Mahmud DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Katherine Castro PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Lauren Nester EDITORS: Crystal Arnette, Lucy Tatiana Morales MAIN TITLE THEME BY: Johannes Raassina, Lefteris Ioannou POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR: Jess Vogel COLORIST: Marika Litz SOUND MIXER: James Sparber TITLE THEME PRODUCER: Johannes Raassina KEY PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Julissa Ramirez PRODUCTION SOUND: Kit Jirles ADDITIONAL SOUND RECORDIST: Deanne Williams ART DIRECTOR: Laura Miller PRODUCTION ASSISTANT: Catrina Kokkoris DATA MANAGEMENT: Melissa Bueno-Werner PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS: Masha Zhak, Adam Duplechain. 