Born Daniel Day, Dapper Dan – as he is known – has long had an impact on fashion though through less traditional means than most. The Harlem-born and bred designer made a name for himself with his namesake store, Dapper Dan’s Boutique, which opened in 1982. The location drew in stars from the worlds of high fashion and hip-hop alike, from Salt-n-Pepa to Jay-Z. Though the store shuttered in 1992, the impact of his work has lasted generations.

His work has since been embraced by the mainstream fashion industry. In 2017, Dapper Dan entered into a partnership with Gucci, working on a collection with Alessandro Michele himself, and is backed by IMG.

To celebrate his CFDA Geoffrey Beene Lifetime Achievement Award, Dapper Dan’s colleagues, friends, and supporters tell us why he is deserving of this award.

Marco Bizzarri

CEO, Gucci 

“Most people see things as they are, but some dream of things that never were. They are the trailblazers – the ones who create new paths, and invent new ways of doing things. Dapper Dan is such a creator. This well-deserved lifetime achievement recognizes a true visionary who has made an incredible mark on fashion. Bravo Dap, and thank you for your inspiration.”

June Ambrose 

Costume Designer & Creative Director

“He is a pioneer and culture shifter. His contribution has shaped the way luxury embraces hip hop! His non- apologetic bold approach to design continues to inspire us all!”

A$AP Ferg 

Musician

“Dapper Dan is not only a Mentor to me, he is family to me. I went looking for Dap after my dad died because he also mentored my dad when he was a young artist / designer finding his way in the world. I developed a bond with Dap and we would link up every weekend to have these talks on how we were going to uplift our people in the community. We would have talks about showing the bridge of both his and my generations to show unity. We believe knowledge is lost down the pipeline when the new generation can’t get wisdom from the O.Gs. We always talk about spirituality and the deeper meaning of life. One day, Dap texted me, “Nephew, should I work with Gucci?” and I was like “hell yea, do it for the culture and build up ur brand, it’s a great launching platform,” and a few weeks later he had Gucci in his Harlem pad brokering a deal, typical Dap style. He has told me plenty of times that I’m like a son to him, that’s how deep we roll. His energy is unmatched, very few can walk around Harlem and travel the world and receive pure unfiltered love. Dap’s design has always been innovative and classic. I aspire to have longevity in the game and building legacy like Dap.”

LL Cool J

Musician, Producer, & Actor

“Dapper Dan and I have had a friendship and creative working relationship that’s lasted over 30 years because we speak the same language and lived in the same world. Dapper Dan is deserving of this honor not only because of his talent, but because he truly is a trailblazer –  he took Harlem hustler street styles and made them global.  When he came on the scene no one else was merging luxury brands with raw high end street sensibility. He created his own lane and the hustlers and the rappers like me were able to tell a story with our clothes that was both representative of the streets we came from and luxurious at the same time. His lasting impact  on the culture and the fashion industry will be part of global fashion history and lore forever!!”

Wayman + Micah

Stylists

Mobolaji Dawodu

Global Fashion Director, GQ + GQ Style

“Dapper Dan is the ultimate fashion maverick, he has an unparalleled influence over contemporary global style. He is one of one, self made and the epitome of an American style icon.”