The headlining panel at the 2024 ESSENCE Fashion House, titled “Aesthetic Armor: Clothing and Culture,” unfolded through a series of cultural revelations underscored by the sharp edge of creative disruption. Panelists A$AP Ferg, Dapper Dan, the Head of Social Kory Jarvis at ESSENCE, and the CEO & President Caroline Wanga each brought their own history of challenging the status quo. Together, they dissected the challenges and opportunities facing Black creatives in a rapidly changing fashion landscape, making a case for the power of ownership and control in an industry notorious for commodifying Black culture without enfranchising its creators.
The conversation was a masterclass in Afrofuturist reenvisioning, a theme all three panelists have embodied in their respective careers—using fashion as a vehicle not only for self-expression but also as a means to claim space in the yet unwritten future of a constantly changing industry. Iconic New York designer Dapper Dan bridged the gap between luxury fashion and street culture at a time when the fashion industry ignored or excluded Black consumers. During Fashion House, he reflects on his intentions while building his career, telling ESSENCE he viewed his atelier as a way to “dress minds,” expanding the imaginations of neglected fashion enthusiasts of color, utilizing his talents to broaden what they could artistically envision for themselves.
A$AP Ferg, with his characteristic charisma, cut straight to the heart of the conversation. He urged the audience to harness the power of their followers, no matter how small. “There’s equity to be earned,” he emphasized, reminding emerging creatives that their work is worth monetizing. Ferg’s point landed hard—particularly in an era where content is freely shared but rarely credited in ways that benefit the originator. He called for creators to own their work and to be intentional about how their art is leveraged. Ferg’s advice felt urgent in a world of commodified visibility, where trends are born and co-opted almost simultaneously. Standing out in such a saturated landscape, he argued, requires taking back control.
Caroline Wanga, always the strategist, reinforced the need for financial literacy within the revolution. “The revolution must be financed,” she declared, urging creators to look at the broader, systemic forces at play. Under Wanga’s leadership, ESSENCE has been at the forefront of challenging these historical inequities. Her message: Black creatives must not only set trends but also set the terms of their participation in the market.
The conversation inevitably circled back to the macroeconomic realities facing creatives today. In an era where visibility can be instant, there are queries as to whether true creative individuality is being sacrificed in the rush to go viral. And yet, despite the saturation of digital content and the redundancies that come with it, the panelists offered a glimmer of hope: ownership—of your work, your image, your influence—is the most valuable currency in the current creative economy.