Dapper Dan, Gap Celebrate The Urban Cowboy With Latest Collection

Dapper Dan and Gap have released their latest DAP GAP spring capsule collection, which included head-to-toe western denim looks that were inspired by the spirit of Harlem and today's urban cowboy.

The highly anticipated 22-piece collaboration expands beyond the realm of sweatsuits moving into other product categories including a denim kimono jacket, a Western-style denim button-down shirt, an embroidered cotton Oxford shirt, and a houndstooth icon denim jean jacket with matching straight-fit pants.

In the 2-minute collection film, Ghanaian-American creative photographer Joshua Kissi featured residents living in the historic Graham Court apartments located in Harlem, New York, alongside Dapper Dan.

At the heart of the collection lies the iconic DAP GAP logo hoodie, which symbolizes the partnership between Gap and Dapper Dan. Now available in four new colorways, the Dap Gap hoodie symbolizes Dapper Dan's mission to destigmatize the stereotypes of Black people wearing hoodies. “At certain points in history, the hoodie had been used to represent the dark side of our culture, so this partnership with Gap presents it in a way that shows you can wear a hoodie and be fly, be international, and elegant,” said Dapper Dan. “This new installation also symbolizes universal love and unity. You’ll see every single piece of this collection was created with love and intention down to the updated logo stitched inside each garment. We are in the present preparing for the future because this brand, this collaboration, is about bringing everybody together. We were some of the original cowboys. But we are also the faces of the world to come — we are the urban cowboys.”

Dapper Dan has been a prominent and inspirational figure in the fashion industry since the late 80’s when he would take traditional luxury house products and turn them into fashionable outfits for hip-hop artists and athletes. He gained major notoriety in 1987 when he designed outfits for hip-hop artists Eric B. and Rakim’s cover for their Paid in Full album.

Almost 40 years later, Dapper Dan is still impacting the world.

The DAP GAP capsule collection is available now. Check out more images below.