Yasiin Bey and Talib Kweli of Black Star are the faces of AMIRI’s Fall/Winter 2023 campaign. Founder and creative director Mike Amiri conceived a campaign with the multi-layered music production process in mind.
Inspired by the ’90s hip hop that he grew up on in Los Angeles, the new collection is rooted in the brand’s fluid tailoring in addition to ’50s and ’90s Americana cues. These design inclinations also are fused with the house’s long-standing relationship with music as an expression of the cultural zeitgeist. The campaign reflects the duo’s revolutionary rap techniques and is paralleled by the imagery shot by Karim Sadli.
The clothing’s relaxed proportions and sensible, stylish silhouettes authenticate the rap duo’s styles. The collection features a drop-shoulder car coat made of soft vegan leather and a black double-breasted brushed wool overcoat with a brown collar. The Fall/Winter 2023 range also includes a sleek dress shirt, mohair argyle cardigans, and snap-closure pleated pants to elevate that classic ’90s style.
The rap duo are iconic figures from the ’90s era of the genre. They’re also pioneers of hip hop with their album Mos Def & Talib Kweli Are Black Star which has served as an influence to rappers like J.Cole, JID, and Joey Bada$$.
Black Star came together again in 2022 for their sophomore album, No Fear of Time, more than 20 years after their debut. The campaign features a video soundtracked by the group’s songs “Yonders” and “The Main Thing is to Keep The Main Thing The Main Thing.”
AMIRI’s Fall/Winter 2023 collection will be available on amiri.com and at AMIRI boutiques on August 17th.