Reviews
"Dapper Dan is a legend, an icon, a beacon of inspiration to many in the Black community. His story isn't just about fashion. It's about tenacity, curiosity, artistry, hustle, love, and a singular determination to live our dreams out loud." --Ava Duvernay, director of Selma , 13th , and A Wrinkle in Time "Dapper Dan is a true one of a kind, self-made, self-liberated, and the sharpest man you will ever see. He is couture himself." --Marcus Samuelsson, New York Times bestselling author of Yes, Chef "What James Baldwin is to American literature, Dapper Dan is to American fashion. He is the ultimate success saga, an iconic fashion hero to multiple generations, fusing street with high satirical elegance. He is pure American style." --André Leon Talley, Vogue contributing editor and author "Dapper Dan is a dream maker from Harlem, who carved out a piece of its royal cloth, sewed it up, and shared it with all of us, creating stars through his vision. Dap was there with the hood heroes and hood horrors, the joy, sunshine, and pain; he survived it all, and finally his book is hitting the streets, letting us all know how." --Nas "Dapper Dan makes manifest through garments what Black flyness, Black intelligence, Black struggle, Black courage, Black hustle, Black progress, Black resistance and Black royalty looks like. Never did he rattle a beggar's cup outside of a fashion industry designed to exclude him and all who looked like him. He took what he wanted from the establishment and built his own damn house. His life story is a wonderful tale of brilliance, hard work, perseverance, and hustle--America at its best." --Michaela angela Davis, writer and Image Activist "Dapper Dan is not just the epitome of style and grace, but an international treasure. He is a cultural icon who has pioneered his own path through the fashion industry, one that will influence generations to come." --La La Anthony "Dapper Dan's life is a saga of grit, glamour, hustle, vision, and wily, versatile intelligence. Watch him start out as a shoeshine boy and acquire the skills to outplay Harlem's best gamblers. Then watch him acquire the skills to outwit Europe's top designers. 'I blackenized them,' he says of the Louis Vuitton and Gucci samplings which, joined to his own designs, generated an entirely new kind of fashion. Dapper Dan is a creator and entrepreneur in the grand manner. And as this memoir shows, he is a grand raconteur as well." --Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland "Dapper Dan is one of the most influential figures from our community who has been doing it 'for the culture' since day one. Before it was trending. Before it was commercial. Before it was even recognized by the fashion world. His work has paved a way for us to own the seats we're in. His success story is one of redemption and radical resilience. He is a purveyor of the American Dream. Now that he is sitting in his rightful place in history, how lucky are we to sit beside his throne and absorb the wisdom from his journey?" --Elaine Welteroth, "Dapper Dan is a dream maker from Harlem, who carved out a piece of its royal cloth, sewed it up, and shared it with all of us, creating stars through his vision. Dap was there with the hood heroes and hood horrors, the joy, sunshine, and pain; he survived it all, and finally his book is hitting the streets, letting us all know how." --Nas "Dapper Dan makes manifest through garments what Black flyness, Black intelligence, Black struggle, Black courage, Black hustle, Black progress, Black resistance and Black royalty looks like. Never did he rattle a beggar's cup outside of a fashion industry designed to exclude him and all who looked like him. He took what he wanted from the establishment and built his own damn house. His life story is a wonderful tale of brilliance, hard work, perseverance, and hustle--America at its best." --Michaela Angela Davis, writer and image activist "Dapper Dan is not just the epitome of style and grace, but an international treasure. He is a cultural icon who has pioneered his own path through the fashion industry, one that will influence generations to come." --La La Anthony "Dapper Dan's life is a saga of grit, glamour, hustle, vision, and wily, versatile intelligence. Watch him start out as a shoeshine boy and acquire the skills to outplay Harlem's best gamblers. Then watch him acquire the skills to outwit Europe's top designers. 'I blackenized them,' he says of the Louis Vuitton and Gucci samplings which, joined to his own designs, generated an entirely new kind of fashion. Dapper Dan is a creator and entrepreneur in the grand manner. And as this memoir shows, he is a grand raconteur as well." --Margo Jefferson, author of Negroland "Dapper Dan is one of the most influential figures from our community who has been doing it 'for the culture' since day one. Before it was trending. Before it was commercial. Before it was even recognized by the fashion world. His work has paved a way for us to own the seats we're in. His success story is one of redemption and radical resilience. He is a purveyor of the American Dream. Now that he is sitting in his rightful place in history, how lucky are we to sit beside his throne and absorb the wisdom from his journey?" --Elaine Welteroth "Dapper Dan is a living legend, a creative icon, and a godfather to the Black community. His inspirational story isn't just about fashion. It's about adventure, struggle, curiosity, hustle, love, and a singular determination to change one's life." --Bethann Hardison, model and activist "Dapper Dan is the original influencer, disruptor, and creative--a true visionary who inspired inclusion for those who weren't always invited to partake in fashion. His legacy will forever impact the intersection of style and culture, reminding us all to remain authentic and live unapologetically." --Ashley Graham, model and author of A New Model
