Formerly known as the “Cosby Sweater,” it wasn’t until another Brooklyn native stood tall with the eccentric, high-end design catapulting both it’s name and demand to the top. It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of gaudy hip hop; the shiny suit era.
Now, according to the New York Times, Nineties Nostalgia Propels Coogi Brand[‘s] Resurgence. More recently, many of today’s top artists are wearing the distinct sweater whether it be Jadakiss, A$AP Ferg, A$AP Rocky, Mac Miller, Snoop Lion Dogg, and also Drake.
During it’s heyday in the nineties, the sweater was synonymous with hip hop. “The brand was considered an urban brand — meaning almost ghetto,” according to Pamela Weisfeld, the president of Coogi. In the well-written piece by Ben Detrick, he states that “after being purchased by New York investors tied to Fubu, the company wrung profits by licensing its name to discount manufacturers that produced shabby footwear and jeans emblazed with ‘Coogi C69 Yacht Club’ insignia.” That money move eventually hit the brand where it hurt — it’s reputation as a luxurious status symbol.
The end of that licensing deal is slowly approaching. The goal for Coogi, according to the company’s creative director, Willie Esco, “is to get it back to [being] competitive with Gucci and Missoni.” They’re Rag & Bone relationship is, so far, a pretty good step in that direction.
-Jamaal Fisher (@jamaalfisher)
