Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Fresh Dressed - Documentary Review


Fresh Dressed is a hip hop fashion documentary written and directed by Sacha Jenkins and features appearances by Run DMC, Dapper Dan, Daymond John, Karl Kani, Mark Ecko, Carl Jones (Founder of Cross Colours), Sean Combs, Kanye West, Nasir Jones, and Pharrell Williams among many others. The film will be available June 26th on demand and at Seattle's Northwest Film Forum theater.


The Story:
From fly kicks and funky fresh denim to custom crafted internet labels, this is the story of how urban fashion went from the streets of New York to becoming a global phenomenon. Brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton, and Givenchy are what kids aspired to as a symbol of success and, as rappers and other urban celebrities began rocking the latest fashion pieces, hip hop culture took those styles and created it's own version of what it meant to be cool and ahead of the game.


The Review:
This film captures each era of fashion and hip hop culture from the early b-boy days of the mid to late 70's all the way up through fashion forward brands that can only be found on the internet. Sacha Jenkins has a clear understanding of where these styles originated, evolved from, and eventually became thanks to the same innovation and entrepreneurial spirit that made hip hop music so successful in the first place. He also does a great job of bringing in just about anyone and everyone who has had any sort of impact on the culture and we get some fantastic insight during interviews from each of them. It was very interesting to hear from old school players like Dapper Dan and Carl Jones who were true pioneers in the industry to heavyweights like P Diddy and Daymond John who took hip hop fashion to the next level and literally changed the game.


The Verdict:
Fresh Dressed is more than just hype, it truly represents in a way that goes deep into where it all began and gives you a new appreciation for what started as a street movement and has gone on to spawn global empires. Not only do we get the fun of hearing from hip hop stars like Kid and Play, Kool Moe Dee, and Run DMC, but we are also taken through the more serious sides of the game like racism, cultural economics, and police brutality. If you grew up loving hip hop music, culture, and fashion, you will love this documentary.

If you live in Seattle, you can check this film out at the Northwest Film Forum.
If you live anywhere in the world, you can check it out On Demand.




 


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