A$AP Rocky on Virgil Abloh, Rihanna, and Pushing the Boundaries of Fashion—One Look at a Time
For A$AP Rocky, fashion is a full-on timeline rather than merely a means of expression. With a smile that seems to indicate he means it literally, he tells Vogue, "I recall years by clothing." Every look in his style growth is a stitched memory, a chapter. The 2025 Met Gala co-chair, fashion icon, and rapper transformed a retrospective into a love letter to the things that have influenced his life when Vogue invited him to participate in their Life in Looks segment.
2025-04-16 17:15:35 - Tress Galloway
"Fashion Killa" Hints at
Long before A$AP The quintessential relationship goals, Rocky and Rihanna were compelling partners who exchanged the front rows of Paris Fashion Week for on-camera pregnancy announcements.Their first meeting on screen? "Fashion Killa" music video from 2013.
He says casually but clearly with enthusiasm, "I just hit up the flyest lady I knew." It is called 'Fashion Killa,' and I am referring to her specifically. In the song, I even mention her name. What about chemistry? Even then, it was clear. "Back then, she was also aware that she was my boo."
With Virgil Abloh directing, it was more than simply a romantic moment in the making; it was a creative convergence. It was simple to work with Virgil. "We had a lot in common," Rocky says. "The glory he attained? Inevitable.” For Rocky, Abloh was more than simply a visionary; he was family. So are Jonathan Anderson and Alessandro Michele, two designers that Rocky regularly uses for style alchemy. He claims that whenever he can, he "picks Anderson's brain."
When Fashion Is Roasted
Even a fashion icon, of course, has some unsuccessful attempts. The notorious yellow Balenciaga puffer vest from 2017 is a prime example. Rocky chuckles, "I will not lie—they roasted me online." "If you think about it, it was kind of like fire, but no, I was wildin'." That was when I was Flavor Flav. Fly, but be tacky.
Rocky's sense of self-awareness and unreserved audacity are what set his fashion game apart. Every "miss" is still a moment: a threat, a defiance, a wink of genius.
Defiance of Gender Conventions—With a Silk Scarf
The true allure of Rocky's attire, however, lies not only in the layers or the labels, but also in the statement he is making. Do you recall his "babushka" period? The one in which, like a stylish Eastern European grandma, he wore silk scarves with flowers tucked under his chin? It was a cultural remix rather than a gimmick.
Without any cynicism, he declares, "I am a grandma's boy." And I firmly believe that masculinity can no longer be defined by clothing. Those lines? Blurred.” For Rocky, there was no shock value in donning a scarf. It was about asserting one's emotional, sartorial, and intensely personal freedom. He recalls, "I felt it was unfair that guys could not wear glasses and a silk scarf over their head." "So I simply did it."
The Legacy of A$AP Rocky's Style: Bold, Flowing, and Brutal Originality
A$AP Rocky deviates from the norm in a society that is fixated on following trends. His fashion journey is about evolution more than perfection. It is about creating a world where originality and sincerity always triumph over uniformity, as well as about emotional resonance and playful disobedience.
From Virgil to Rihanna, from Balenciaga to Babushkas, Rocky is more than simply a fashionista rapper. He is among the boldest storytellers in fashion. Additionally, simply remind him of his attire if you tell him about the year anything occurred.